Between The Lines
by ColdCoffee123
Summary: When a trainee teacher stumbles across her academic equivalent, things get a bit messy when they become her student.
1. Chapter 1

**I know some people said this idea wasn't really their cup of tea, but it may not be what you've already assumed.**

 **Let me know what you think in the reviews.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

At the age of 23, Alex Vause, having been through university, finds herself edging closer to entering the profession she had been tailoring her life in the education system towards. Having studied at Smith College on a scholarship, the brunette gained her degree in English Literature, followed by her Masters, and is now in the process of training to become a teacher. After 3 months of starting her teacher training at Smith, the brunette is set to embark on her first of two spells of placement work, whereby she'll initially observe the classroom setting for 2 weeks, before returning to College to apply everything she's learned to the state of her set classes. Her second spell will begin around a month later, except this time taking a more hands-on approach in taking over with the teaching.

Sitting down in a small wooden chair, the brunette observes her surroundings; on her right is a bookshelf, _boring reads_ , she thinks to herself as her eyes scan the book's spines; to her left is a wall painted a pastel shade of yellow with a picture, of which she assumes is an old painting of the building she's currently sitting in, and before she gets the time to scan in further detail, a door in front of her opens.

"Alex Vause?" a middle-aged man asks in question.

"Yes!" the brunette confirms eagerly, standing up and lifting her hand to shake the outstretched one of the male headteacher standing in front of her.

"Joe Caputo," the man introduces himself while smiling before turning his body to the side. "Come in, come in."

The brunette, dressed in a black pair of trousers and white blouse, follows the man into his office, sitting down on a small leather chair opposite his desk as instructed.

"It seems like you've had quite the impressive education, Alex," the man says as he sits down, holding up a paper copy of the brunette's résumé.

"I've worked hard for the opportunities I've made available for myself, Mr Caputo."

"Please, call me Joe," the man corrects, using his right hand to briefly scratch his beard. "I just wanted to call you in here, Alex, so I can run through a few things with you. I'll pass you over to your department when we're all done here."

Although eager to get into teaching, the brunette has never liked meetings; having finished talking to Joe about her expectations, Alex is given a tour of the school's compound by a member of staff before being taken to the English block to meet with her department head – the man who interviewed her for the placement in the first place.

Walking through a set of double doors, up a set of stairs, followed by another set of doors, the brunette walks along the corridor to find the office of her first point of contact during her short stay, David Brady, Head of English.

He's an older man – perhaps nearing retirement age, the brunette ponders – and, judging by the other two occasions she has met with the man, he is always well-dressed, yet _extremely_ boring. His voice, low and rough, gives off a monotone echo, something that – if she were a student in his class – would have sent the brunette to sleep.

"David?" Alex asks while giving a gentle knock on his open office door.

"Ah, Alex, just in time," he greets, standing to deliver a handshake. "I've set the class you'll be looking in on tomorrow some reading to make some notes on for an essay later in the week. I'll give you a copy of the text if you want to keep up to speed," he adds, handing over a copy of a large, stapled paper booklet.

 _Romeo and Juliet_ , its cover reads, to which Alex has to stop herself from rolling her eyes at the clichéd romantic play the class is studying. It's one she's for sure familiar with – she studied it herself when comparing texts for her thesis in College; being at the top of her class meant she was ahead of the game while others struggled. _Maybe I might be of some help_.

* * *

The following day, it's 8:55am and Alex is sitting at the back of an AP English class full of Junior Year high school students. She took a peak at the reading she was given, quickly deciding it wasn't necessary to re-read something she herself wouldn't be teaching nor writing an essay on.

Mr Brady kicks off the lesson, briefly introducing the brunette as 'Miss Vause' who will be 'observing progress' at the start of the lesson, before his monologue is disrupted by the door flying open.

In walks a young blonde carrying a box full of, what Alex can only imagine is, books, placing it down on the floor at the front of the room while the teacher thanks her. Alex, from her seated position at the back observes the blonde whose shoulder-length hair is tied into a ponytail, matched with a light pink jumper and light navy jeans. The blonde starts to walk towards her seat, to which she lands on the table at the back of the room – one of which is the closest to where Alex is sitting. There's an empty seat next to her unlike all the other rows of pairs sitting next to each other, but the brunette soon figures out that one person from the class is absent as Mr Brady verbally points out from the front of the room while scanning the rows of desks.

The classing system at Litchfield High is organised by ability when students get older throughout the school; the current class, which Alex learns is the second highest of the two AP English classes, is the one she has been assigned to observe and later teach upon her return from College. The students, she identifies, vary in levels of understanding, and as she listens to Mr Brady ask a series of questions about a specific piece of text, the brunette keeps her head down with a pen on her paper as she takes notes on his methods of eliciting responses from students.

"What possible motifs can we get from this extract?" he asks as he stands by the whiteboard, ready to write down some of the students' ideas.

A period of silence fills the room before he then chooses a student; Alex is surprisingly impressed by what she hears, causing her to pull her eyes away from her paper to look up and listen with her full attention.

"The contrasting use of metaphorical language about light highlights the forbidden nature of their relationship. The dark isn't necessarily portrayed as an evil thing, but it relates to the idea of their love is hidden, which is shown from the description of the moon in a positive way, yet personifying it by saying it's 'envious'."

"Excellent, Piper," Mr Brady says before turning to synthesise the answer onto the whiteboard while verbally summarising the point to the class.

Alex, still looking up, is stunned by the student's answer; the young blonde sitting in front of her, who she now learns is called Piper, clearly has an advanced understanding of not only the text, but the terminology needed to highlight the key pragmatic features of a text.

Intrigued by the young girl's answer, the brunette turns the page of her notebook, writing 'Motifs' at the top, underlining it, before writing her own summary – slightly more advanced compared to the one on the board – of the blonde's perceptive point.

While the students are set a task to complete in their pairs, Alex notices the blonde in front of her working on her own being that the seat next to her is unoccupied. Curious as to what new ideas she's applying to the text, the brunette gets up from her chair, putting down her notepad, and moves to sit in the one next to the young blonde.

"So, how're you getting on over here, Piper?" she asks, putting her elbow on the desk.

The blonde, turning her head to the right, seems momentarily stunned by the presence next to her, yet quickly recovers as she gives off a toothy smile and goes into great depth about her annotations and the reasons behind them. The brunette quickly discovers that the young woman before her is most definitely talented when it comes to analysing literature, and finds it difficult to not use this time to study her features as the blonde flickers between maintaining eye contact and looking down at her paper to check her notes.

There's a mature aura about her; her ideas are spoken about with great levels of clarity, yet Alex finds herself zoning out, instead fixating on the young woman rather than what she is saying. Her profile, Alex admits to herself, is just as impressive as her intellect; with a chiselled jawline, perfect rows of whitened teeth, perfectly sculpted eyebrows and alluring dimples, the brunette finds herself transfixed. The brunette, however, is ripped away from her thoughts at the sound of the blonde chuckling, causing her to focus back on what the younger woman is saying, and as she does so, she can't help but smile at the tinge of red covering the younger girl's face, something that causes Piper to turn back towards her paper as she stutters over her current explanation. Their following conversation flows well with sophisticated levels of intellect – something Alex would never expect in response from a high school student.

When she goes to turn her page, the blonde knocks her pen off the table, which happens to land by Alex's feet. Leaning down, the brunette hands the pen back to the blonde, smiling not only at the blonde's muttered apology, but – worrying – at their brief hand connection. At hearing an 'okay everyone' being announced from the front by her colleague, Alex takes the pen from where Piper had placed it on the desk and leans over towards the piece of paper in front of the blonde. Using the pen, the brunette underlines a specific, unannotated phrase;

"What is this _really_ trying to tell you?" she asks cryptically before getting up and moving back to her original seat.

As the brunette looks up, she sees the young blonde's head turned in her direction with a look of confusion on her face. Her eyebrows are frowning downwards, and her blue, oceanic eyes look as though they're pleading for more information. The brunette crosses her legs over, placing her notepad back on her lap before smirking at the young woman, raising an eyebrow in challenge.

Each row is asked to share one of their points to the class one at a time, and when it's Piper's turn, Alex shuffles forward in her chair, eager to know what she's going to say.

"Um I looked at the phrase 'Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill'," the blonde begins, sounding slightly hesitant, almost as though still in thought. "It's ironic in the sense that it's saying that giving someone mercy will result in violence. In this case, giving mercy to murderers won't stop them from murdering again, which foreshadows the fact that two people lose their lives needlessly because of who they love."

Alex, still leaning forwards, is beyond amazed with the blonde's answer. It had taken her several attempts to even grasp an understanding of that quotation in such detail when she was studying the play from her memory, and Piper had mastered its nuances in the space of about 5 minutes.

"Extremely perceptive, Piper. I've never thought of it in that way," Mr Brady says with a stunned expression at the front of the room. "Very impressive. Well done."

With the few remaining minutes of the hour the lesson has been running for, the students are given instructions for an essay due for their next lesson in two days' time, and when the bell goes, they stand up, packing away their things to go to their next class.

"So, how did I do?" Piper asks the brunette as she tries to fix the second strap of her rucksack onto her shoulder.

"Better than I could have done. It took me a long time to get my head around that one," Alex replies honestly. "Great work, Piper."

"Thank you," the blonde replies through a shy smile, ducking her head slightly while starting to walk backwards towards the door. "It's nice to be challenged in this class for once."

"I know the feeling, kid," Alex says before putting her own bag across her body, following the blonde out the door while waving a goodbye to her colleague as she heads to her temporary office. "See you soon," she concludes through a smile as the two reach the doorway, turning left before the blonde gets a chance to reply.

Although she technically isn't yet a qualified teacher, the brunette can't help but think she may have interacted with the blonde in an unprofessional manner. Sure, she wants to help students, but it's clear that Piper doesn't belong in her current class or need any help. Deciding to not let herself get too caught up in Piper as a person instead of helping the younger girl with content, the brunette tells herself to be careful, knowing that she can't be seen as getting _too involved_ with only one student in particular.

* * *

"Piper – can you do me a favour and grab the box of books from my office?" is the first thing Piper hears when she enters her English classroom.

English is her favourite subject by far; a lot of her free time is either spent writing about topics she's passionate about, or reading books – both fiction and non-fiction. Her parents don't seem to understand their daughter's passion for literature, yet they don't particularly seem to understand her as a person at the same time. With straight A grades, the blonde needs to keep up her progress for the remainder of the year as well as throughout her Senior year, being that she hopes to go to College to study Literature.

Piper's morning hadn't been too stressful; she was driven to school by her best friend, Polly, arrived on time, registered, walked to collect a box of books, and now, as she re-enters her classroom, having put the box of retrieved books down, she walks over to her desk.

The blonde immediately spots the woman at the back, yet keeps her gaze elsewhere. She is – without explanation – intimidated by the woman sitting at the back's presence, and when she listens to her teacher explain that 'Miss Vause' will be observing, she squirms in her seat. The feeling of being watched when you're working isn't a sensation the blonde is comfortable with, but as the lesson begins to delve into the extract of text she had spent all of 10 minutes annotating at home, the observer behind her was at the back of her mind.

As class continues and it's announced that the next task will be in pairs, Piper rolls her eyes. The person who normally sits next to her, Sarah, never comes to class, making these sorts of tasks really fucking annoying. Mr Brady is a very experienced teacher – a fact he loves to disclose, however, he frowns upon conversation that's off topic, meaning every lesson, you have to sit in your designated pair, not turning around or working in larger groups. It sucks considering literature should be something that you discuss in larger groups, yet being that her understanding and interpretations of texts are often different from her classmates, working on her own suits Piper's interests.

With her head turned down towards her paper, Piper sees a shadow appear in her peripheral vision, followed by a husky voice: "So, how're you getting on over here, Piper?"

Turning her head to the side, Piper is faced by the woman who had initially intimidated her just from sitting at the back; the woman she had successfully managed to block out for the last 25 minutes. _Fuck_ , she thinks before letting out a toothy smile along with a reply.

"I'm doing great, thanks, Miss Vause. I read ahead and made most of my notes on this scene already, so I don't really have anything new to add."

"Well tell me something new then, Miss…" the brunette says with a pause, waiting for the gap to be filled.

"Chapman."

"Miss Chapman. Share with the crowd."

 _Maybe she isn't that bad_ , the blonde thinks to herself, liking the fact that someone is encouraging her to share her ideas as well as wanting to listen to them.

When talking about her notes and the reasons why she came up with them, the blonde notices the brunette's fixed gaze, _perhaps she's just listening intently_ , yet continues.

"The third point I noted down was about the description of the setting being a metaphor for…" she pauses, not knowing whether the woman next to her is listening, waiting for her to add something. "I'm guessing Romeo and Juliet isn't really your kind of thing to read," Piper digresses, knowing she isn't being listened to. "Miss Vause?" she tries one final time, only to laugh at the woman's lack of response.

Although a part of her felt slightly uncomfortable under the gaze, another felt appreciated under it. Her black frames and eyebrows, although more plucked than her own, fit her face shape; her green eyes, which happen to be staring into the blonde's soul, radiate perceptiveness; her teeth, although hidden by her lips… are… hidden by her lips, _is she wearing lip-gloss?_ , the blonde thinks to herself before completely dismissing her thoughts, returning them to the task at hand.

The fact that her mind even went there while the brunette is staring at her makes the blonde's cheeks flush a shade of red, now feeling embarrassed under the woman's gaze.

"So, tell me what you think about Shakespeare's intentions," the brunette comments, changing the chain of their discussion, but not the topic.

Feeling more at ease with the raven-haired woman, Piper enjoys their conversation about the play – something she rarely gets to experience when in school.

"Sorry, about that," Piper says as she looks down at the pen by the other woman's feet she had accidentally knocked off the table when turning her page.

Without meaning to, the blonde's eyes follow the brunette's body, falling on the buttons of her white shirt, and given the angle of her arm reaching for the pen, she gets a glimpse of her white laced bra – something that makes Piper immediately scald herself, darting her eyes elsewhere. It gets worse when she hands the pen back; although the brunette seems unbothered by their hand contact, the blonde feels as though she's dying in a bubble of internal embarrassment, being that she's never felt so _affected_ by another person's presence.

In hearing Mr Brady attempt to gain the class' attention, the blonde places her pen onto the table, happy that the situation between herself and the older woman won't reach a stage of awkwardness.

Feeling a hand – followed by a body – lean over her, the blonde has to clench her jaw. The quick manoeuvre from the woman next to her allows her perfume to be wafted into the air, and the husky, yet light, feminine smell fills her nose. Despite her physical reaction, the blonde watches the pen glide along the page to the only section of the text she hadn't annotated, the quotation: 'Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill'.

"What is this _really_ trying to tell you?" the voice of her counterpart asks for the final time before she retreats to her seat.

Whipping her head around, the blonde looks for an explanation – a prompt even – from the older woman. At seeing an eyebrow raise, Piper turns back to her desk to wrack her brains around something that she had chosen to avoid when at home.

When it came to her turn to share her answer, the blonde was indecisive. She wanted, so desperately, to not make a fool of herself in front of someone who clearly had great literary understanding of the current text, however, in thinking: _no one else will probably care_ , to herself, she decides to throw herself in the deep end.

Although Mr Brady stated he was impressed, it wasn't his opinion Piper wanted. She wanted to turn around and ask about how she did, but didn't want to come across as being annoying. Waiting another 5 minutes until the ends of class, having to listen to instructions about an essay, was making the blonde more and more impatient, especially knowing that the answer to her question was right behind her.

When the bell did go, as planned, Piper slowly started to pack her bag, before turning around while trying to fix it onto her shoulder.

"So, how did I do?"

"Better than I could have done. It took me a long time to get my head around that one. Great work, Piper," the older woman replies through a sincere smile.

Hearing her name coming out of the brunette's mouth causes a shy smile to envelope across Piper's face as she mutters her thanks. "It's nice to be challenged in this class for once," she adds, having never been given an additional challenging question throughout the months of being in this class. She begins to move away from the older woman, afraid that her sudden shyness is obvious.

"I know the feeling, kid."

Piper – again – has to clench her jaw as her attempt to escape the older woman was unsuccessful; they start to walk alongside one another towards the door.

She doesn't get the chance to reply to 'Miss Vause' when she departs, yet finds herself wondering why, instead of 'observing' the class' progress, she spent more time conversing about the implications and meanings of a play.

Walking to her next class, the blonde ponders her thoughts. While trying to categorise the more… _confusing_ ones into another part of her brain, she tells herself she'll look into their meanings another time, not entirely sure when – if ever – an appropriate opportunity will unveil itself.


	2. Chapter 2

The rest of the week flies by, and as it reaches the penultimate day of her final and second week of observing, Alex is organising her notes she's made regarding each of the classes, as well as reading ahead with some of the content her boss wants her to cover when she returns to teach.

It's 5pm, and while school has finished and most of her colleagues have gone home, the brunette is taking advantage of the state of silence, using it as a medium to work through. Her office includes a computer which sits upon a desk, a small file cabinet for paperwork, a small coffee table, and a sofa; although it's small in size, it's comfortable enough to work in.

Knowing that she's the only member of staff currently in her building, the brunette is surprised when she hears a set of heavy footsteps – to which she assumes is down to the person's choice in footwear – walk against the wooden floor. Being that her door is open, the brunette looks to her left to observe who the person in question is, and in the blink of an eye, a blonde female walks past without looking in. Turning back to her work, Alex then hears the footsteps stop at the end of the hall, assuming they had gone through into another part of the building. When the footsteps return however, the brunette's head, once again, turns away from her work, but this time prompted by the sound of a familiar voice.

"Do you happen to know where Mr Brady is?"

"He went home about an hour ago, Piper" Alex says, leaning back in her chair while swivelling so that her whole body is now facing the door. "What's the problem?"

"Oh, um… I was just going to hand in this essay," the blonde says holding up a piece of paper. "I wasn't in class earlier to give it to him."

 _I know you weren't,_ Alex thinks, looking at the blonde standing in the opening of her office. "I can have a look," she begins, holding her hand out while wiggling her fingers. "I'll mark it and get it back to you tomorrow."

"That would be, great, thanks," Piper says, walking into the threshold of the office, handing over the piece of paper, to which the brunette grabs and places onto the empty space on the desk in front of her.

"What're you doing here so late anyway?" Alex asks, looking into the blonde's blue eyes.

"I was working in the library; I don't think most people even know it exists," Piper replies, eliciting a chuckle from the older woman.

"How come you weren't in class today?" Alex then finally asks the question she's been dying to know the answer to since she walked into the third period AP English class earlier that day.

"I had to make some changes to my essay."

"Instead of coming to class?"

"It's not like I learn anything anyway," the blonde concludes before crossing her feet, shifting her weight to the side. "Why're _you_ here so late though, Miss Vause?"

"I work well when it's quiet," the brunette replies, "and I thought I'd take advantage of having an office for the next two days."

"Only for two days?" the blonde asks with raised eyebrows.

"Well I'm only here for another two days, but I'll make sure I get this done in time, Piper; I promise," Alex concludes, placing her fingertips on top of the paper on her table.

"Thank you, Miss Vause," the blonde says quietly, pushing her hair behind her ear before moving her hand to fiddle with the strap of her bag. "I'll see you tomorrow," she adds, moving out of the door.

"I sure will," the brunette replies while smiling at the blonde's retreating form.

Piper, after hearing that the older woman is only here for another two days, leaves the room in an unsettled state. She's enjoyed working with the older woman throughout lessons, and if she's being honest with herself, she no longer finds their eye contact awkward; it's something that keeps her up at night as question upon question forms in her curious brain.

* * *

"No – I'm doing fine," the brunette says down the phone while she takes a sip from her glass of wine. "I'll be over at the weekend."

"I hope you aren't overworking yourself, Alex."

"Mom – it's only been two weeks. I'm an adult; I can organise myself."

"My daughter could have been missing for the last two weeks for all I know," Diane says down the phone. "I do like hearing what you get up to, Alex."

"I know, I know," the brunette admits, huffing down the phone.

"What's the matter?"

At this question, the brunette considers her response: does she tell the truth, or does she tell a white lie and hope her mother doesn't pick up on it? Choosing the latter option, Alex comes up with the excuse of being tired, which her mother sounds somewhat convinced by, and the phone call soon ends, with the brunette promising to try harder with contacting her mother more frequently.

It felt strange thinking that her tiredness wasn't down to the workload, but almost from the dread of having to go into work tomorrow. The dread of having to see Piper and not ask her all the questions she desperately wants to know, get to understand what goes on in the younger woman's brain.

Shaking her head and placing her phone onto the table, the brunette picks up her read pen, and, as promised, she begins to read Piper's essay that she had written on a specific piece of text set earlier in the week.

The essay, as predicted, was one of the best the brunette had read. The words flowed across the page eloquently; the grammar was correct; the detail was admirable. What the brunette does pick up on, however, are the so called 'changes' the blonde alluded to earlier – she had added in some references the pair had spoken about whenever paired discussion tasks were set during lessons. The brunette only used her red pen three times when looking through the three-page essay: 'Extremely impressive interpretations of the text, Piper', along with a prompting question to get the blonde thinking, and an additional comment.

Getting up from her chair, with the paper in her hand, the brunette ensures she packs the blonde's work into her bag for the next day and heads to bed, hoping she'll fully sleep through the night.

* * *

Whenever a noise can be heard from the corridor, the blonde looks up from her work. When she walked into class, which happened to be the final lesson of the day, she was excited to see if the brunette had acted on her promise. However, when Mr Brady announced they would be doing a test in silence throughout the lesson, her stomach dropped. The element of discussion and challenge the older woman brought to the classroom was something the blonde looked forward to, and in a sense, even though she can't help how she feels, it's probably for the best that the brunette isn't present in the classroom.

It isn't until there's 10 minutes of the lesson – and the test – to go when the older woman walks in, much to Piper's satisfaction. Taking her eyes up from her test paper, the blonde is transfixed by the sight of the woman before her. The brunette, wearing black heels that emphasise her height more than it normally already stands at, struts confidently over to Mr Brady's desk, leaning down to whisper something into his ear, and, while nodding with a smile, he leaves the room. She then moves to lean against the front of the desk, crossing both her ankles and her arms, which emphasises the tightness of her grey tailored trousers and white shirt.

The blonde scans the older woman from her seat at the back of the room, admiring her long legs, rippling arm muscles and flowing hair, but as she reaches the woman's face, their eyes make contact. _Shit she was watching_ , Piper thinks, yet doesn't move her gaze, only feeling a slight blush at the older woman's questioning eyebrow raise.

"You've got 5 minutes left," the brunette announces to the class, turning her head away, causing several heads to peer upwards while their private eye connection breaks.

Piper looks back down at her paper and starts writing – still wanting to finish the test, although she can feel the brunette's burning gaze return to her features when no one else is looking.

When the school bell goes, indicating that the test – and class – is over, the students put their pens down and start to back up while Alex walks around to pick up the papers. As the room filters out, Alex approaches Piper, whispering over to her while picking up her piece of paper.

"Can I talk to you in my office please? Just go in and take a seat – I'll be a few minutes."

"Um… of course," the blonde stutters, before filing out the room with the other students, not wanting to come across as acting suspicious.

Sitting down on the sofa in the brunette's make-shift office, the blonde looks around, studying how the fairly empty room is – a reminder of the older woman's departure.

"Sorry about that," Alex says, shutting the door while going straight over to her bag, rummaging through her notebook. "How was your day?"

"It was okay," Piper says, not sure if she wants to partake in small talk knowing the affect the presence of the older woman alone has on her. "What about yours?"

"It's just got to the exciting part," the brunette admits, turning around to face the blonde with a smile while holding up a piece of paper. "As promised," she adds, walking over to sit next to the blonde on the sofa. "I thought I'd tell you verbally about what I thought of it considering there wasn't much to add."

Flipping through the three pages, the brunette gives a detailed explanation of what she liked about the paragraphs, as well as the elements of writing style that she recommends sticking with throughout and beyond college education.

"Does that all make sense?" Alex asks, having discussed the entire essay.

"Perfectly," Piper admits, while giving a toothy smile.

"I added my school email address at the bottom in case you have any questions about my comments or you wanted to ask me anything."

"Thank you…" Piper hesitates as she reads the email address on the page, "Alex Vause."

"You shouldn't be calling me that," Alex says while laughing.

"By what? Your name?" Piper challenges, resting her essay pages on the coffee table in front of them.

"By my first name. I work here, Piper."

"This is your last day though," the blonde comments as their eyes connect.

Closing her eyes while running a hand through her hair and letting out a sigh, the brunette shifts to face the blonde at a better angle. "Piper, regardless of that, to you, in class, I'm Miss Vause."

"We're not in class though," Piper says, tilting her head.

"No. No we're not."

Pausing for a moment, the blonde gets up from the sofa, picking up her bag and placing it on one of her shoulders.

"I know it's been short, but I don't think I've met anyone who know their way around a piece of literature quite like you, _Miss Vause_ ," Piper admits, emphasising the brunette's professional name.

"It's been a pleasure helping you, Piper, and believe me when I tell you I'm not too sure I'm quite the one who knows their way around literature the best out of the two of us."

"I'll see you around then," the blonde says while turning, knowing that her statement isn't a valid one, yet trying to hide her blush at the older woman's admission.

Gently reaching for the blonde's wrist, turning her around, the brunette adds one final thing, before they depart.

"Turn the last page over to the other side. Think about it."

With the paper now in her bag, the blonde doesn't have the chance to check. The pair stare into one another's eyes – the blonde looking partially confused, until the brunette lets go of her wrist, walking over and sitting down at her desk.

"See you around," she copies as the blonde leaves the room, smiling until she's out of sight.

* * *

Rushing home as quickly as she could, Piper eventually reaches the comfort of her own room and moves to open her bag. Pulling out her stapled handwritten essay pages while sitting on her bed, the blonde turns the final page over, seeing something written in red-inked cursive.

' _What is this really trying to tell you?_'

While she momentarily smiles at the familiar question, Piper is also stunned by it. The brunette hadn't mentioned anything negative about her interpretations throughout the essay's entirety.

Putting the paper away, the blonde lies down, wondering if the older woman's question could be interpreted in more ways than one.


	3. Chapter 3

**I hope the time-jumps aren't confusing. I just want to move the story along quickly to fit with my planned plot.**

* * *

Two months pass by, and while Alex had returned to college to continue with her teacher training, Piper, as ever, had excelled in all of her subjects leading up until the Christmas break. Over the two weeks of break from school, the blonde, having moved into the new year, promised herself to not get distracted by everything going on around her, from her friends' boy drama, to her family, to the red-inked email address that frequently plays on the back of her mind.

Although she hadn't seen the taller brunette in two months, the blonde strangely misses her company. She feels unchallenged in class, and, most of all, she can't for the life of her figure out the answer to the brunette's cryptic question on her essay. She's thought about sending her an email on several occasions, but always resulted in deleting the draft, knowing that the older woman would never see it. Throughout her spell of confusion, the blonde even went to her regular English teacher, who, despite praising her want to widen her understanding of the text, dismissed her questions, telling her to focus on the content of the curriculum and what they learn in class instead.

The Christmas break is essentially over with school starting again the next morning, and although Piper has completed the tasks expected of her to have done upon her return, she's currently propped up against her headboard, under the covers, with her laptop on her lap. Frustrated that she hasn't been able to find the answers to the question playing on her mind, the blonde opens a new email, typing out what she had mentally memorised on more than one occasion.

TO: alexpvause-lfhigh

 _Dear Miss Vause,_

 _I doubt you can still access this account, but I wanted to try and take up your offer in asking any questions if I was stuck._

 _For the past few months, I've been searching for the answer to the question you posed on the essay of mine that you marked, and, to be honest, I can't seem to find it. So, my question to you is: what are you seeing that I can't along with every other person I've asked and every online source I've searched?_

 _I hope to hear from you._

 _Thanks,_

 _Piper Chapman._

After reading through the email several times – checking over its spelling and content, the blonde hits send. Letting out a sigh of relief – feeling as though a large weight has been lifted off her shoulders, Piper puts her laptop away before turning off her light and heading to sleep, ready for school the next morning.

* * *

"I can see Larry by the doors," Polly says as she pulls into one of the school's parking spaces, eventually bringing her car to a halt.

"Congratulations – you can see far," Piper sarcastically replies while rolling her eyes at her best friend.

"Come on, Piper," the brunette adds, turning to face the blonde, "we both know he likes you. You should give him a chance."

"Pol-"

"Don't even try and bring up being bisexual right now, Piper, because that defeats the point," Polly says while opening her car door, stepping out.

Stunned that her best friend brought up her sexuality, Piper too gets out the car, ready to defend herself. "You can't just say that, Polly," she begins, shutting the car door, "I'm not rejecting him because I'm bisexual; I'm rejecting him because I think he's really fucking boring."

"Alright, sorry – chill!" the brunette says, having not meant to offend the blonde. "I just think you'd look good together."

"Well I think I look better without him," Piper wittily replies, putting her rucksack onto her shoulder.

The pair walk in unison towards the building, Piper failing to hide from the said man in question.

"Piper, hi!" he says, approaching the blonde.

"Hi," she deadpans, not wanting to engage in conversation.

"I actually was waiting to talk to you," he begins while opening the door for the two girls, focusing on the blonde, however. "I… well… um… I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me Friday after school?"

In feeling her best friend nudge her side, giving her the 'I told you so' side-eye, the blonde pauses before thinking of how she's going to let the smaller man down gently.

"I'm sorry, but I have plans this Friday, Larry. Maybe another time."

The blonde feels slightly guilty in seeing the affect her rejection had on the man's face, but as they arrive at the room of her and Polly's registration, they parts ways after Larry explained that it was 'okay', and that they can meet 'another time'.

Sitting at her desk, the blonde waits for the teacher to start taking the register, while, in the meantime, she decides to check her phone, having missed her notifications due to being in a rush this morning. Seeing a few iMessage, Twitter and Instagram notifications – deleting them as she goes along, her heart skips a beat when she sees that she has a new email.

Looking away from her phone to see if anyone is watching her, Piper composes herself before turning back to the device, ensuring its content can't be seen by anyone as she clicks on the email.

FROM: alexpvause-lfhigh

 _Hi Piper,_

 _I'm glad you've decided to ask me about your confusion, being that if it wasn't for me, you most certainly wouldn't be confused. To answer your question, the nuances of a text are – most of the time – subject to your opinion. Although the specific phrase I highlighted showed significance to me in one respect, to you, that could be of resemblance linked to another._

 _I'd be happy to talk about this another time in greater detail, but don't let yourself get too caught up in challenge questions – your writing style and understanding of literature is extremely above average for your age, which is very impressive._

 _Let me know if you have any other/further queries._

 _Best wishes,_

 _Miss Vause._

Feeling her cheeks flush having read the email in the older woman's husky voice, Piper can't help but grin to herself. Hearing that her ability is 'very impressive' coming from someone whose own ability she greatly admires gives her an immense sense of satisfaction.

Throughout the entirety of her registration period, the blonde repeatedly reads the email, analysing it content. Although she tries not to think too deeply about it, the overriding theme of questions seem to stem from: ' _why had the older woman replied to her email so quickly?_ ', and ' _why would she offer to talk about work when she doesn't even work at Litchfield High?_ '.

At hearing the bell for the end of registration ring, the blonde screenshots the email on her phone – telling herself it's in case she needs it for future reference, and then puts the device away before heading to her first class of the new year.

When her first period is over, the blonde huffs at the idea of next having English on her first day back, dreading listening to another boring, unchallenging lesson. Upon entering the classroom, Piper heads to her seat, and is pleasantly surprised – along with her classmates – that her teacher, Mr Brady, isn't in the room. He wouldn't really leave his classroom between periods, which means that when he isn't present, he generally isn't in. The room is loud; students are catching up with one another on what they got up to during their Christmas break, until the classroom door opens, causing all eyes to turn out of fear that it's their teacher – out of character – turning up late.

Piper, seated at the back of the room in her normal seat, has her head under the table, checking that she accidentally hadn't replied to the brunette who had emailed her, despite knowing full well that she hadn't. In hearing the room quieten down and the sound of the door closing, she looks up, only for – the second time that day – her heart to skip a beat at the sight before her.

The teacher, wearing a pair of black trousers with a grey jumper and black boots, struts into the room, putting down their bag onto the desk before turning to the class.

"Sorry I'm late everyone. I'm Miss Vause, and I'll be stepping in as your teacher for the rest of the year."

The room fades into silence as the tall brunette explains how she's a student teacher, meaning that although she will be taking class, Mr Brady will still be available for help at any given point throughout the rest of the academic year.

"I'm just going to set up over here, so talk quietly amongst yourselves," the brunette says, and the students immediately turn to one another to discuss the sudden change.

Piper, on the other hand, can't look away from the woman in front of her. _She looks good_ , the blonde thinks to herself as she studies her teacher, noting on how her wavy hair perfectly frames her face, and how her emerald eyes are shaped by her black secretary-like glasses.

In studying the older woman, eyes travelling across her face, blue meets green. Alex offers her a smirk while maintaining the eye contact, and if it wasn't for the 29 other students in the room, the blonde was sure the entire period would be spent gazing at one another.

Watching the brunette push herself off the desk and towards her computer, Piper's eyes widen at the sight before her. The raven-haired woman is leaning across her chair typing in her computer login, leaving her toned ass unintentionally standing out. Resting her head on her hand, the blonde tilts sideways, watching the scene before her, and just as her eyes start to configure the shape of the brunette's underwear through her trousers, she realises how wrong her actions are, averting her eyes before she's caught staring at her teacher's ass.

"So, everyone, I understand you had two essays to do over Christmas?" the brunette says, turning to the whiteboard with her pen. "Can everyone make sure to get them out to be handed in to me at the end of the lesson please," she concludes, writing her name, along with the date, at the top of the board, followed by the lesson's title.

The class seems to run smoothly, and it isn't until the end of the lesson that Alex personally addresses Piper. When the blonde, while leaving the classroom with everyone else, goes to hand in her essays, the brunette looks her in the eye as she grabs the other end of Piper's paper, politely asking.

"Can I please speak to you quickly?"

"Sure," Piper replies, hoping she looks calm on the outside and nothing like the sudden mess of emotions she's feeling on the inside.

"You were awfully quiet today," Alex says, having shut the door of the classroom and walked back to lean against her desk.

"I didn't have anything to say," the blonde replies, leaning against a desk on the front row of the room, creating space between them.

"Not even when I asked about the nuances of the text from before Christmas?" Alex probes, having purposely brought up the specific text relating to Piper's essay she had marked during her first spell when observing.

"I was absorbing the information," Piper deadpans, not wanting to reveal the itch she had in class to further ask and debate with the brunette about her ideas and explanations.

"That I can believe," Alex concludes the subject with a smile before digressing. "I just wanted to know if you got my reply to your email."

"Yes – I did, thank you. I saw it earlier this morning and was surprised your account even worked to even get a reply."

"I was only here to briefly observe last time," the brunette starts to explain, crossing her arms against her chest. "Now you essentially get to observe me teach instead of the other way around."

At the mere hint of observation, the blonde's face flushes, thinking back to her previous methods of observation that had nothing to with the older woman's teaching.

Sensing that she's being awkward around the other woman, the blonde plans her escape.

"I should really get going – I have class."

"It's break-time, Piper, but sure, I have some emails to catch up on anyway."

As they both push away from where they're standing – the blonde moving closer to the door, the brunette makes one final announcement before her student leaves.

"Piper," she says, causing the blonde to stop in her tracks while turning the door handle, "I meant it when I said you can come to me with any questions."

"I know, thank you. See you tomorrow, Miss Vause."

Not feeling as though she can spend another second in the room without making a fool of herself, Piper turns the handle the rest of the way, exiting the classroom swiftly, leaving behind a confused – yet slightly entertained – Alex.

* * *

 _4 months later_

"So, are there any pussy magnets in any of your classes?" the wild-haired woman asks from across the table.

"Nicky, you know that's a pretty fucked up thing to say, right?" the brunette replies, taking a sip of her beer.

"Oh, come on, Vause. You aren't that old – you're only 23."

"That doesn't mean you can still say stuff like that."

"Well you haven't denied it…?" Nicky probes, grinning at her best friend. "Come on, it can't be that bad."

"Oh, it's bad," Alex says, running her hands through her hair while leaning back in her chair. "There's this one girl, Piper, she's head and shoulders above everyone else in her class, and teaching her 4 times a week is really starting to get to me."

"Then don't teach her that often,"

"Nicky, I can't just not teach a class that's timetabled to me!" the brunette whisper-shouts across the table, trying her best to not get too worked up over the situation.

"If you're just teaching her, what's the problem?"

"Ugh, Nic, everything that comes out of her mouth gets to me."

"Yeah, I'm sure it does."

"Not like that," Alex huffs, knowing her best friend isn't going to be of any help in this situation.

"Let's think this through logically, Vause: how long have you been her teacher?"

"About 4 months."

"And how long left do you have as her teacher?"

"About 2 months."

"Then think about it in this way: you have 2 more months of teaching this girl until you don't have to deal with her anymore."

"That's the thing I'm worried about, Nicky – I don't want to be done with her; she's practically my mirrored intellectual other!"

"Maybe that's the crux of your problem right there," Nicky ponders. "How old is this girl anyway?"

"I- I don't actually know," Alex replies, cursing herself for not having checked on her teaching system. "Definitely not my age, anyway."

"Yeah, but where's the fun in that?" the wild-haired woman chuckles before downing her drink, ready to help her best friend forget the strain her work life is currently putting on her personal life.

* * *

"Yeah, well I just have this last essay to do for tomorrow, and then I'm done for the night," Piper says down the phone to her best friend while sitting at her desk.

"Another essay? Didn't you have one the other day?"

"Yeah, and now I have another one," the blonde adds, annoyed that her best friend won't stop quizzing her about her efforts in English this semester.

"And you keep needing to go early in for that because…?"

"Because I want Miss Vause check my work."

"Yeah, I bet that isn't the only thing you want her to check," Polly confidently adds down the phone, anticipating the subsequent wrath of her best friend.

"Polly – for the millionth time, stop saying I like Miss Vause!"

"Come on, Piper, I know you; I'm your best friend. Don't try and tell me you don't like this woman."

"Pol-"

"I'm not judging! I guess it would be cool to say my best friend is fucking her English teacher. Not just that, but her _female_ English teacher."

"Polly if you don't stop I'm going to-"

"You just need to stop eye fucking each other in class – that's a dead give-away – and then you might get away with it for-"

Tired of hearing her best friend's teasing, Piper hangs up the phone. If she's being honest to herself, her best friend can read her like a book; she would most definitely be lying to herself if she said the brunette wasn't one of the reasons why she was trying so hard English, but it isn't exactly something she can help. It's almost as though the older woman has a hold on her.

Deciding that she needs to distance herself from the brunette in order to focus on her work and not their developing relationship, Piper notes that the next time she has the opportunity, she'll talk to the older woman.

* * *

Throughout the next few weeks, the blonde and brunette drown in their thoughts regarding one another. The brunette worrying about the ethics behind her attraction for her student; the blonde worrying about making it too obvious that she finds her teacher attractive.

After fleeting glances in class, shoulder brushing when walking past each other in the corridors, and using any excuse possible to carry out 'office hours', Alex decides to take the plunge in controlling the situation that she feels is getting out of hand – despite its significant lack of clarity from both ends of the spectrum, while the blonde works on her own end by entirely avoiding her teacher.

Having spent her afternoon in a series of meetings regarding her status as a qualified teacher the following year, the brunette walks back to the block of English classrooms, ready to tell her colleagues about how the meetings went.

Upon entering her office that she shares with the Head of English, David Brady – ready to tell him her news, Alex is stunned by what she sees. Sitting in the office, in what looks like a form of tuition, sits her colleague, and the one and only Piper Chapman.

"Miss Vause! We were just finishing up here," her colleague begins, having heard the brunette's entry. "Piper here came to ask me something, but it seems we're all up to speed now," he adds while smiling. "Let me know if you need any more help, Piper. I'll see you later, Miss Vause," he quickly explains before exiting the room – obviously in a rush for something, leaving a still seated Piper and a standing Alex behind.

Leaning to close the door, Alex begins quizzing the younger woman.

"So, you are in. Why haven't you been in class all week?"

"I've been sick."

"But you're not sick enough to come in to ask Mr Brady for help?" the brunette adds, her tone filled with jealousy.

"You weren't here."

"That's bullshit, Piper," Alex says, immediately regretting swearing at a student, but her counterpart rapidly fires back before she can apologise.

"Oh, I'm sorry that I had to ask someone other than you for help with this subject, Miss Vause," Piper retorts sarcastically, feeling her anger start to bubble at how the older woman is acting.

"You've been skipping my classes, Piper, and then you expect to just be spoon-fed the answers from doing so," Alex says, trying to somehow find a line of argument.

"Miss Vause, you and I both know that I don't need to be spoon-fed the answers," Piper argues back, leaning backwards on the sofa she's seated on, while covering her face with her hands.

Alex, deciding that shouting at her student isn't a mature method of approaching the situation, joins the younger woman, taking residence on the seat next to her.

"I'm sorry," Alex says, refusing to look at the blonde. "It's been a long day."

"I can vouch for that one," the blonde agrees, taking her hands away from her face. "You want to talk about it?"

"No. Not really. You?"

"No."

Sitting in silence, the brunette asks a question that's been plaguing her mind since she first met the young girl before her.

"Piper – what's happening?"

"What do you mean?" the blonde asks, worried that the brunette is about to address the inevitable situation towering over them.

"I mean with you. Me. Us. I don't know about you, but I don't find myself giving up all this free time to other students that certainly don't need my help," Alex says honestly, turning to face the younger girl for the first time since taking a seat next to her.

"I don't find myself seeking help from someone knowing that it won't necessarily help my grade," the blonde openly replies. "I don't think I can keep working around you when you're my teacher, Alex."

"Don't call me that."

"What? My teacher or Alex? Do you have a preference?"

"Piper, we can't be doing this. I'm your teacher."

" _A teacher trainee_ ," Piper comments, trying to dig for Alex's thoughts regarding what's going on between them, despite the lack of explicit confirmation.

Fidgeting with her glasses, the brunette sighs. "Piper, I was offered a job here for next year. A permanent one. Meaning I'm now so much more than just a trainee teacher; I graduate in summer and then will go straight into the job."

"That doesn't mean we can't be friends."

"Piper – I'm not saying that I don't want that, but I'm your teacher. I just found out that I'm taking on your class next year too" Alex says, hoping the blonde doesn't share around the information she's disclosing. "We can't be friends."

"I will miss this though," Piper admits, looking at the older woman. "Effortless conversation."

"I guess that's one thing we can agree with on," Alex says, placing her hand on the blonde's exposed knee innocently, lightly squeezing the skin.

Looking down at the hand, the blonde shifts, deciding she should really be leaving before someone walks in.

"I should get going."

"That's probably a good idea," Alex says, joining the blonde as she stands. "Look, I'm sorry, Piper. I didn't mean to get mad and swear."

"I get it, Alex. We all have our shitty days."

"I'll let that one slide," Alex says with a chuckle. "Have a good evening, Miss Chapman."

"You too, Alex," Piper slyly adds while smiling at the role reversal, managing to escape before she can be corrected.

"Don't make a habit of that, kid," Alex says to herself in the now empty office as she heads to sit down at the shared office computer, logging into her emails.

TO: lfhighoffices

CC: davidbrady-lfhigh

Subject: Class List Changes

 _Dear All,_

 _Before the upcoming meeting about the changes in the ability-based classes, I have a student I'd like to put forward._

 _Could someone please send over the document I have to fill out ahead of time._

 _Thanks,_

 _Alex._


	4. Chapter 4

**I know it's short, but I've been travelling this weekend and wanted to get something out.**

 **Note that I'm not from America, so I don't know the full ins and outs of the US education system. Bear with me if any of the schooling content is inaccurate throughout the story.**

 **Enjoy - let me know what you think! (Italics is a flashback.)**

* * *

"She drives me fucking insane," Alex says running both of her hands through her hair as she sinks into the old leather sofa.

"Insane as in crazy, or insane as she's annoying," Diane says while she walks into the living room, placing two mugs down onto the coffee table as she sits next to her daughter in an armchair.

"Insane as in I can't stop thinking about her," the brunette reveals out loud, feeling ashamed of herself, yet relieved that she finally admitted that verbally for the first time.

"Al-" Diane begins, but is interrupted.

"I know, she's my student, Mom, I'm not fucking stupid. She's just always there."

"Well she will be if you're teaching her," the older woman adds sarcastically, yet in seeing her daughter's reaction, she knows she's being serious. "Alex, you know you can't... go out with her or anything."

"Oh, really? I hadn't figured that one out, Mom," the younger brunette retorts, feeling angry at herself.

"So we're acting like that now, are we? Well, how about you go back to your own home and sort your shit out because I didn't raise you like this, Alex. Now get your head out your ass."

Looking across at her agitated mother, Alex immediately feels a sense of guilt in having taken her emotions out on her mother.

"I thought I was getting away from her," the younger woman adds, feeling herself getting emotional as she averts her gaze to her hands.

"Well, you'll just have to think of your career, Al, as well as not going to prison because you know that could happen if anything ever did come about between you."

"I know," Alex replies defeatedly. "It'll be fun when she finds out."

"She doesn't know?"

"She's seen her timetable, but someone in the office fucked up, so no one can see who their teachers are, only what class they're in."

"Ah, and so she'll think you're not teaching her this year," Diane adds, piecing together what her daughter had previously revealed over the last hour along with the latest piece of information.

"Correct."

"Good luck to you then," Diane chuckles, leaning back in her chair.

"Thank you, so helpful, Mom," the younger brunette concludes, rolling her eyes at her mother's smirk, while trying to contain one of her own.

* * *

 _Before dismissing the class for the last time that year, the brunette informs the students of their summer homework, along with telling them to have an enjoyable summer._

 _With students filtering out of the class, Piper approaches the brunette's desk, pretending that she needed to ask a question while the handful of her classmates were exiting the room._

 _"We made it," the blonde says when the door shuts, indicating that they're finally alone._

 _"Indeed we did, kid. What're you so happy about?" Alex goes on to ask at seeing the beaming smile of the younger woman in front of her._

 _"I was given this today," Piper says, holding up a piece of paper to which she hands over to the seated teacher._

 _"What is it?"_

 _"Open it and you'll find out."_

 _Folding open the piece of paper, the brunette reads the document out loud, slightly surprised she hadn't been informed this had actually gone through first._

 _"Dear Miss Chapman, we are writing to inform you that you have been moved into the top AP English Literature class for your Senior year. Please ensure you check your timetable thoroughly next year. Best wishes, Litchfield Office team."_

 _Looking up from the piece of paper in her hand, Alex smiles back at the younger girl._

 _"Congratulations, Piper."_

 _"Thank you. I couldn't have done it without your help."_

 _"Oh, don't be giving me any credit. I was all you."_

 _"You know what this means," Piper says as she walks around the brunette's desk, taking a seat on top of the wooden structure directly opposite the older woman._

 _"What?"_

 _"That you're no longer my teacher next year," the blonde concludes, shuffling to get comfortable on the desk, yet making sure she's careful to not sit on any of the brunette's valuables._

 _"Piper. We can't."_

 _"Is it the age gap?"_

 _"That's not what I'm-"_

 _"I'm 18, Alex. It's not like I'm 12."_

 _"Your age isn't the issue," Alex remarks, standing from her chair to move away._

 _"Then please tell me why we can't at least be friends," the blonde says, grabbing the brunette's wrist, pulling her into the space between her legs. "You're only 23."_

 _"How do you even know that?"_

 _"Google."_

 _"You Googled me?"_

 _"That's not what we're talking about right now, Alex."_

 _"You need to stop calling me that," the brunette says, yet doesn't try to move away from the blonde's grip._

 _"Make me," Piper challenges as she moves her weight to the edge of the desk, forcing the two even closer together. "Stop acting like nothing's going on here."_

 _"I'm not acting," the brunette reveals, looking into the blue eyes below her. "I'm just trying to make sure nothing happens."_

 _"Why are you doing this to yourself?"_

 _"What? Trying to save the job I have lined up for next year? Trying to not go to prison? I'm not fucking up my life because of who I'm attracted to."_

 _"So you admit you're attracted to me," Piper replies, trying to ignore the twinge of disappointment the brunette's statement emitted in her chest._

 _"If that wasn't obvious enough," Alex huffs, moving her free hand to the younger woman's shoulder, brushing her blonde locks away. "Listen, Piper, I know I'm not teaching you, but please respect my wishes. You have to get that this is difficult for me too. I would love to get to know you as a person if we were under different circumstances, but we're not."_

 _"We aren't."_

 _"I think we should avoid being alone until after you graduate. This could all just be a 'hot teacher' phase for you."_

 _"This isn't a phase, Alex. I'm bisexual. You aren't a phase," Piper admits honestly. "I don't think I can wait another year to know you as more than just a teacher."_

 _"It's something we'll both have to test out, kid," Alex replies, using her thumb to brush the blonde's cheek._

 _"Can I at least give you a hug goodbye?"_

 _"Sure," Alex agrees, removing her hand to allow the blonde to stand up, who immediately wraps her hands around the brunette's waist, resting her head in her neck._

 _Alex, stunned by the feeling small, wet drops hitting her neck, wraps her hands around the blonde's back, trying to take in the younger woman._

 _"This is our only option, Piper," Alex says, rubbing the emotional blonde's back, "but don't wait up for me if something else comes along."_

 _"No one else will."_

 _"That's not what I said."_

 _"But it's what you meant," Piper replies, removing herself from the brunette's neck so that their faces are in line._

 _Alex, more focused on what the younger girl in front of her is doing, doesn't reply. In seeing the blonde's vision flick down to her lips, followed by the forward approaching movement of her head, Alex turns her head to the side, clenching her jaw as her eyes close, feeling tortured by the burning rejection she inflicted on the blonde._

 _Piper's lips hit her cheek, which stay locked in place for a few seconds, before sliding away to the right, where the blonde rests her forehead on the taller woman's shoulder, breathing heavy._

 _"Take care of yourself, Pipes," the brunette says, breaking the silence, yet not wanting to address their near-kiss, knowing it would lead to something she'd regret._

 _Moving away from the brunette's hold, the blonde gets off the desk, grabs her bag, and heads for the classroom door. Ignoring the persistent calls of her name and phrases of persuasion coming from the brunette, without looking back, Piper wipes the tears falling from her eyes and opens the door handle, leaving the room._


	5. Chapter 5

**Here's another small addition (double update in case you missed Chapter 4).**

 **I made a typo with Piper's age in the last chapter - she's 18. In the UK, you can graduate from a high school fully at the age of 19 - that'll become clearer as we go along if you're confused by that, but I am trying to base this in an American school, so please excuse any mishmashing of both the English and American schooling systems throughout!**

* * *

Throughout the 6 weeks of summer, the blonde kept herself busy in choosing to earn some money of her own by getting a part-time job at a local cinema, as well as going abroad: 2 weeks in the Bahamas with her family, followed by a week in Amsterdam with Polly. Telling herself she avoided being at home during summer because she wanted to gain some independence is partially true, but if she was being completely honest with herself, Piper was avoiding the chances of bumping into Alex around town.

Whenever she'd meet with the brunette in a school day - while they both told themselves it was for educational purposes, conversation would often drift to home life. Alex revealed in one particular conversation that when she passed her teacher training, she would be moving into her own New York apartment in order to be closer to Litchfield. Although she didn't know where the brunette had moved to, the blonde didn't want to risk an awkward encounter.

She wouldn't be lying if she said the brunette's rejection didn't hurt her because it did. It hurt like fuck. The memory of Alex turning away from her has branded her self-esteem. Although she understands the brunette's reasons for turning away; there isn't a day that passes by where the blonde doesn't imagine what could have happened if she hadn't have done so.

Knowing that the brunette won't be teaching her makes Piper feel more at ease for the important year ahead of her, and being that it's the weekend before they return, she's stuck at work on the cinema's ticket counter.

Her shift ends at 10:30pm, and considering that's in 2 hours' time, she's counting down the hours until she gets to go home. The cinema is surprisingly empty considering it's a Friday evening, and while she has her back turned from the entrance, she hears a familiar laugh - something that makes her head turn instantly.

Walking into the entrance side by side is Alex and a smaller red-haired woman. They approach the counter, still chuckling at something that was said, and it isn't until the brunette looks up from where she was putting her phone into her pocket, that she notices the blonde, falling into her unreadable gaze.

Frozen in place, the brunette's eyes widen as she sees the blonde knowing that her current attendance to the cinema with another woman must look bad.

"Hi, how can I help you?" Piper asks politely, switching her eyes from Alex to the smaller woman.

While the red-haired woman orders the tickets from Alex's former student, the brunette doesn't say a word, only thinking of a way she can try and explain to the blonde that it isn't what it looks like.

"Are these seats okay, babe?"

Turning to look at her smaller companion, the brunette agrees before turning to look into the blonde's eyes, trying to see if she gives away how she's feeling.

Piper, in hearing the word ' _babe_ ' come from the smaller woman, clenches her jaw and avoids the brunette's gaze that she can feel burning into her face. She quickly confirms their ticket selection, takes payment, and prints the tickets along with their accompanying receipt.

"Enjoy your evening," Piper politely aims towards the red-haired woman, refusing to look at Alex.

"You too," the smaller woman replies, smiling, before starting to walk off.

Alex, meanwhile, is rooted to the spot, waiting for Piper to look her way.

"Piper, it's not what you-"

"Alex, what're you doing?" a voice asks in the distance.

"Just asking something," Alex replies, and in seeing the blonde turn away from her, still refusing to make eye contact, she turns to leave, cursing herself internally.

In hearing the brunette walk away, Piper turns around and leans against the counter, trying to not let her emotions get the better of her.

* * *

Finding herself zoning out during the film, Alex's mind drifts to the blonde at the counter. All summer she had tried to forget about Piper, promising herself that she would have to wait until term time before they could come into contact with one another again. She'd been reluctant enough going out with Sylvie to begin with - not wanting to give the red-haired woman the wrong impression, but then again, she had began to feel lonely over the last few weeks. Nicky had gone abroad with her girlfriend, Lorna, her friends were all mostly working still, and her mother was no longer living on her doorstep.

She met Sylvie when she started her teacher training course a year ago, having sat next to each other in their first class meeting, and in discovering that they were in a lot of the same class times, the red-haired woman soon thought of it as a form of social exercise. Although Alex initially found the red-haired woman attractive to the extent where they slept together, her sights are set elsewhere. Their one and only night spent together, despite happening several months ago, seems to have Sylvie thinking she has a chance with the brunette, and in the months since, Alex has been doing everything she can to not go out with the the red-haired woman, but in seeing each other after graduating as teachers, she had no choice but to accept Sylvie's insistent invitation.

Looking down at her wrist, trying to see if she can see what time it is, Alex stiffens as she feels a hand rest on her thigh. Turning her head to the side, she sees, through the reflection of the screen, a grinning Sylvie.

"Want to get out of here?" she asks.

"I'm just gonna head to the toilet," Alex whispers in response, removing the straying hand and standing up to leave.

Diverting towards the reception area, the brunette rushes in the hope of making it in time to see the blonde.

"Piper," she pants, slightly out of breath, "it's not what it looks like."

"Is there something I can get you?" the blonde asks, ignoring the brunette's comment.

"Pipes-"

"I'm about to finish my shift, so if you want something, say it now."

Waiting for a total of 2 seconds, the blonde starts to walk away from the counter, only for the brunette to lean over and grab her wrist.

"Please, Piper, it's not what you think. Let me explain."

"Is everything okay over here?" another voice comes from a door labelled 'staff only'.

"Yeah, she was just leaving," Piper replies, pulling her wrist free.

In watching the blonde briefly converse with her colleague at the door before disappearing, Alex lets out a sigh, knowing that despite not doing anything wrong, she'd somehow upset the younger blonde.

* * *

"Piper, will you stop acting like a 2 year old," Carol says to her daughter from her position at the kitchen table.

"I'm not acting like a 2 year old, Mom," Piper replies, slamming the fridge door. "They don't quite have the motor skills of an 18 year old. I'm going to school," she deadpans, not expecting her mother to answer or really care for that matter.

Since her encounter with Alex on Friday evening, Piper hasn't been able to recover from her state of angst. After everything herself and the brunette had spoken about, it only took just under 6 weeks for her to move on to someone new. Just knowing that the brunette has the freedom to do whatever she wants with whoever she wants is something that agitates the blonde, and whether that's out of want or jealousy, she just hopes for the love of God that she doesn't see the older woman throughout the day, not knowing if she'll be able to hold her tongue like she managed to during her encounter when working.

Deciding to walk to school, Piper arrives on time and successfully goes about her day without seeing the brunette. Walking to her period of AP English, which is the last class before lunchtime, the blonde is excited. She's excited to be challenged when in the classroom, and having been moved into the more advanced class, she knows she'll finally look forward to going to her lessons this year.

Walking in and taking a seat next to someone she recognises from her AP History class at the back, Piper puts her bag down and joins in a group discussion while they wait for the bell to ring. Exactly as the bell goes, the door flies open; the blonde's stomach drops and her anger levels increase.

In a rush, carrying a cross-body bag and a box of books, in walks Alex Vause. She looks amazing, Piper thinks to herself, yet is thrown out of her thoughts as when Alex arrives at her desk, the blonde is the first thing her eyes directly land on. The pair share a small period in which they stare at one another, expressions unreadable, before the brunette expertly flickers her eyes to the room's other occupants, almost as though scanning the class before her.

"I've left a purple book out for all of you on your desks, so please write up these details onto the front," Alex begins as the class falls silent, picking up a whiteboard pen and beginning to write information onto the board.

"While you're all doing that, as far as I can tell, I only know the name of one of the 30 faces in here, so I'll start by introducing myself," she adds while turning to face the front, seeing most people start to copy down the information on the board. "I'm Miss Vause and I'll be your teacher this year."

Alex, looking around the room, instantly meets the blonde's blue eyes gauging holes into her own. Piper, she identifies, looks confused - _angry even_ \- at what is happening, and in seeing that everyone except the blonde is looking down at their books, filling in the front, Alex knows that this is going to by far be the longest year of her fucking life.


	6. Chapter 6

"Piper, can you stay behind please?" Alex asks when class ends, eyeing the blonde as she packs her things away, refusing to look up.

Not anticipating a reply, the brunette walks over to the classroom door, waiting for the last few people to leave before shutting it, making sure the blonde can't get away that easily.

"Look… Piper," Alex starts, walking over to her student's desk.

"You lied to me," the blonde finally voices, looking at the older woman having fixed her bag onto her back.

"I didn't lie."

"Then why did you tell me you weren't teaching me this year."

"I didn't know I was. I was moved to teach this class without being told."

"You could have at least warned me," Piper comments, shifting her weight while crossing her ankles.

"Just work with me here, Piper," Alex snaps, raising her voice. "We need to put up with each other for the rest of the year and then we can go our separate ways."

"What if I don't want that?" Piper replies, looking the brunette in the eyes before brushing past her, making sure their shoulders clash in order to push the older woman out the way. "You clearly aren't thinking about what I want right now."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Alex challenges, having caught her weight on a table and turned around.

"Don't worry about me, Alex. You seem to have already forgotten about that."

"Is this about the other night. It wasn't what it-"

"Fuck yes this is about the other night," Piper screams, the veins in her neck visible through her skin. "I have feelings Alex, and after everything we've spoken about and been through, you're just going to dismiss that?"

"Well excuse me for having friends," Alex sarcastically replies, shrugging her shoulders.

"Yeah because all of your friends call you 'babe'."

"I'm an adult, Piper. I can make whatever decisions I want - something you, as an adult, should respect and understand."

"You're right, Miss Vause," Piper says, using a well-levelled tone to addressing the brunette with her professional vocative, "us adults can make whatever decisions we want."

With that, while giving a smug grin in the direction of the brunette, Piper turns and leaves the room, making sure to slam the door harshly behind her.

 _Fuck_ , Alex thinks to herself as she sits down at her desk, running her hands through her hair, regretting how that went with the blonde.

For the next two weeks, Piper - in true adult style - makes her own decisions in not showing up to class. Initially Alex expected this reaction and didn't really have anything against it, but after the first week, she grew concerned - not wanting whatever was going on between herself and the blonde to affect the younger woman's education.

Piper, on the other hand, had planned her skipping of class thoroughly, ensuring that she had the work sent to her by either one of her classmates, or through checking the emailed tasks sent for the entire class to complete. Although the school were concerned with her attendance initially, in giving the excuse along the lines of being given independent tasks - along with illness on the few occasions she chose to stay at home, the blonde managed to somehow get away with it.

Despite missing class, Piper ensured she did all the work; she wouldn't let Alex affect her chances of getting into a good college. In knowing that she needs to give in all the essays she had worked on, as well as getting the information on their coursework project, Piper decides that she'll need to attend the next class, despite fully intending on keeping herself to herself throughout.

* * *

Preparing herself for her next class, Alex is checking her PowerPoint documents, scrolling to find the presentation matching the current day's date. Hearing the door open, she doesn't turn around, instead announcing for the students to come in and take their seats. The next thing she sees is a shadow cover the side of her body, followed by the feeling of a chunk of paper hitting and covering her hand. Turning to the side, ready to question why paper had just been thrown down onto the mouse she was using, Alex is blessed with the posterior view of Piper Chapman, strolling down the aisle of the room, as she makes her way to her seat.

Still in surprise - and awe - that the blonde had turned up to class, the brunette can't help but stare, and it isn't until the blonde finally looks her way that she's caught staring. Ripping her eyes away, Alex turns in her chair back to the stack of paper on the desk. In seeing a sticky note placed on the top reading ' _Yes, you can speak to me after class_ ' the brunette smiles, _am I really that predictable?_

Preparing herself for her next class, Alex is checking her PowerPoint documents, scrolling to find the presentation matching the current day's date. Hearing the door open, she doesn't turn around, instead announcing for the students to come in and take their seats. The next thing she sees is a shadow cover the side of her body, followed by the feeling of a chunk of paper hitting and covering her hand. Turning to the side, ready to question why paper had just been thrown down onto the mouse she was using, Alex is blessed with the posterior view of Piper Chapman, strolling down the aisle of the room, as she makes her way to her seat.

Still in surprise - and awe - that the blonde had turned up to class, the brunette can't help but stare, and it isn't until the blonde finally looks her way that she's caught staring. Ripping her eyes away, Alex turns in her chair back to the stack of paper on the desk. In seeing a sticky note placed on the top reading 'Yes, you can speak to me after class' the brunette smiles, am I really that predictable?

"Okay, everyone," Alex announces and she stands up from her chair while using the remote to turn on the projector. "Let's talk about these projects."

The class, despite the distraction of Piper's presence, is one Alex had planned for quite some time, and in explaining what needed to be completed and where students could go to collect their resources, she was pleased to see that the blonde was at least listening and taking some notes.

"So you will choose any emotion you like and from this list of literary devices, you'll have to write up your project. Do we all get that?" In seeing several nods, the brunette lets out a smile, happy that she only had to explain the premise of the project twice.

Looking over at the clock, Alex - having unexpectedly finished her presentation early - decides to let the class leave early, and in watching everyone rush up from their chairs, her eyes immediately land on Piper.

From her position at the front, she can see the blonde talking to the person next to her, and having witnessed the pair talking to one another on several occasions throughout the lesson, she's curious to know how Piper knows her classmate so well considering she's never been in class.

The brunette's eyes soon widen when she sees the blonde place her hand on her classmate's upper arm, laughing at something that was said.

It's in this moment that Alex studies the person who sits next to Piper, feeling uneasy. The boy, who she knows is called Larry, is one of the lower achievers of the class - a student who has good intentions, yet doesn't belong in such an advanced setting. He's wearing a bright green jumper with a pair of navy jeans, _interesting choice_ , she thinks to herself. As she watches the pair, careful to not be seen by other students, Alex is caught off guard when she sees Piper take a pen from the boy's hand before proceeding to write something down on the back of his hand - what she can only presume is her phone number.

Although she tries her best to hide it, Alex is jealous. She's jealous that Piper would act like this knowing that she'd be watching, and jealous that, because of their current situation, it's not her hand that the black ink is covering.

When the pair's conversation ends, Alex waits for Piper to follow through with what was written on her sticky note, while debating how she should approach the conversation.

"Why haven't you been in class, Piper?" Alex asks, having decided to jump right into the deep end.

"Hello to you too, Miss Vause."

"Answer the question, Piper," Alex replies, _Miss Vause? Why's she calling me that?_

"You know why, Alex. I needed space."

"You needed space? What you need to be doing is turning up to class, Piper."

"Oh, so you care about me all of a sudden?" Piper asks, raising an eyebrow.

"You're my student. It's my job to care," Alex deadpans, not wanting to get angry at the younger woman. "Plus, I've missed you in class."

"You've missed me?"

"Well who else is going to stop me every couple of seconds to ask a question?" Alex answers, eliciting a small chuckle from the blonde. "What was happening at the end there?" the brunette goes on to ask, jutting her chin to where Piper normally sits, while the younger woman leans against the a table on the front row.

"With Larry? Oh, he wanted to know if I was going to the charity football game," Piper replies, crossing her arms against her chest. "You jealous?"

"I don't even have your phone number," Alex comments, ignoring the blonde's last comment.

"You've never asked."

The pair watch each other for another few seconds before the brunette clears her throat and stands up.

"So, when's this game?"

"Tonight."

"I see," Alex says, nodding her head slowly as though in thought.

"Those are my essays," Piper says hurriedly trying to get a word in as she watches Alex move to the back of the room and into a small storage closet.

"Great," Alex replies while reappearing; wrestling her coat sleeve.

"What're you doing?"

"I forgot I'm on duty."

Studying the older woman, Piper wonders why she is acting so casual about their exchange.

"How are you so unaffected by this?" the blonde asks her burning question, using her hand to gesture between herself and the brunette.

Having successfully put her coat on, Alex replies, failing at keeping her emotions in check as her voice rises.

"Unaffected? Of course I'm fucking affected, Piper. I'm the one that requested for you to move up so I wouldn't be teaching you anymore. I thought that would make all of this easier for the both of us."

"You have a funny way of showing it."

"What exactly do you want me to do, Piper? You won't even let me explain what happened a few weeks ago."

"Now's your chance then."

"What you saw wasn't what it looked like. Sylvie she… well I wouldn't call her my friend she's more of a-"

"A fuck-buddy?"

"An acquaintance. She was on my training course."

"Did you sleep with her?"

"Several months ago, yes, but not since. Jealous?" Alex goes on to ask, mimicking the blonde from earlier.

"That wouldn't change anything though, would it?"

"Unfortunately it wouldn't, no. I really am sorry, Pipes. I didn't mean to upset you."

"I know. I just thought not coming to class would make this whole thing easier."

"Hmm, well the only thing that does is mess up your attendance."

Sharing a chuckle at the truth of the statement, for the first time in a long time, the pair seem to be on the same page.

"I guess I'll let you go do what busy teachers do."

"Thanks," Alex replies as they head to the door. Placing her hand on the blonde's neck, brushing down to her shoulder and squeezing the skin, she continues. "Good talk."

"Good talk," Piper replies, giving the older woman - for the first time in a long time - a sincere smile while leaning into her touch.

* * *

"Why would you give him your number if you don't like him?" Polly asks from their seated position on the bleachers.

"It's not like that."

"Does he know that?"

"I hope so."

"So, why _did_ you give him your number, Pipes? Trying to make someone jealous?"

"What makes you say that?!" Piper whisper-shouts to her best friend.

"Jeez! I was only kidding! You need to spill the beans though."

"Polly, there aren't any beans to spill."

"Piper. I've known you practically all your life. I can tell when something's up; you get defensive. Just tell me. Or at least give me some yes or no answers. Do they go to our school?"

Hesitating, not wanting to reveal to her best friend that Alex _works_ at their school, she tells a white lie, secretly amused by Polly's little game.

"Yes."

"Boy or girl."

"That's not a yes or no question."

"Okay then… boy?"

"No."

Polly, smirking at her best friend, leans backwards, eyebrows raised smugly.

"Tall?"

"Yes."

"Blonde?"

"No."

"Brunette?"

"Yes. Polly - do you really need to keep doing this?"

"Glasses?"

"Yes."

"Someone I know?"

"No. Well, I don't think so."

"Jesus, Pipes, that just sounds like you're describing that English teacher. What's her name? Miss Vase?"

Piper, whipping her head to the side, glares at her best friend.

"Oh my God. I'm right, aren't I? I knew it: you have a crush on your teacher!"

"It's Vause," Piper replies, not agreeing or disagreeing with her best friend.

In seeing Pete and Larry walking over to where they're seated, Polly whispers while she slides to the right, creating a space between them.

"I'm expecting all the details tomorrow."

Before she can reply, Piper mirror's Polly in standing up to let the boys into the row.

"Hi, Piper," Larry says while entering, giving the blonde a hug.

Looking over his shoulder, reluctantly returning the hug, Piper - of all the times possible - sees Alex, and not only does she see her, but she sees that the brunette is watching her from the path at the bottom of the bleachers, almost as though looking for a place to sit.

Alex's green eyes radiate jealousy, and while Piper feels initial satisfaction that her plan in making her jealous by giving Larry her number worked - not that she would admit that to Polly, she rapidly feels guilty, having been on the receiving end to know what the feeling of jealousy is like in this instance.

Removing her hands from the smaller man, Piper sits down on the space at the end of the row, leaving Larry with no choice but to sit in the gap Piper and Polly had previously created. Her eyes follow Alex, assessing what she's doing, and in seeing her walk further past their row and up the staircase, her thighs squeeze together when she eyes what the brunette is wearing.

Alex, who had obviously changed out of her work clothes, is wearing a pair of black jeans with a black v-neck and puffer jacket, paired with a dark grey beanie covering her loose hair. When she arrives at the top of the bleachers, she takes a seat on a fairly empty section at the end of the row, and as she gets comfortable, she looks back over at the blonde, winking discreetly. Piper, on the other hand, feels her cheeks flush a shade of red and she squirms in her seat before turning to face the game that's about to start. Pleased that the cold air makes up an excuse for her blush, the blonde finds it hard to keep her eyes forward and not set on the woman playing on her mind.

Throughout the half, she aches to turn and look at the brunette, yet doesn't want to be seen as too eager and have other students judging her. Her only real opportunity arises when Litchfield score and everyone stands up to cheer. When standing up from her seat, Piper turns around so that her back is to the pitch; looking up at Alex, who she sees is also standing while clapping, Piper can only hope she'll look her way. When their eyes inevitably meet, they share a smile before sitting back down again.

As it approaches half time, the blonde's body freezes when she feels unexpected contact on her leg. Looking down, she sees Larry's hand resting on her leg, fingers edging towards her inner thigh.

"What're you doing?!" Piper asks, pushing the man's hand away.

"I thought you wouldn't mind?"

"You thought I wouldn't mind if you touched me without asking even though we barely know each other?"

"Come on, Piper, I know why you gave me your number. Don't be embarrassed."

Laughing at the man next to her while hearing the whistle go for half time, Piper - along with most other members of the crowd - stands up.

"I don't know what's more embarrassing: the fact that you think that's why I gave you my number, or the fact that you've got a little _issue_ over there," she concludes, pointing down to the bulge in Larry's trousers that's evident from his seated position.

Not wanting to spend another minute with the man, Piper heads down the stand and towards the toilets, texting Polly along the way to let her know she won't be returning to her seat.

Spending roughly 15 minutes in the toilet queue, the blonde hears the whistle - indicating that the second half is beginning - blow. Although she came to the event, Piper has no real passion for football, and instead decides to stay in the queue, not caring if she misses anything.

By the time a free cubicle appears, Piper, instead of actually using the toilet, pushes the lid down and sits on top of it, placing her head in her hands. Her attempt to make the brunette jealous had backfired, and the worst thing about it was that she can't get the tall woman out of her head. She's worried that she won't be able to keep herself together throughout the rest of the year when in class, but at the same time craves the older woman's company.

"Piper?" a husky voice calls out from outside the stalls while a knock echoes on her cubicle door.

"Who is it?"

"It's me. Don't worry, no one else is in here."

Thinking about what to do next, Piper stands and unlocks the door, blessed with the sight of Alex standing before her, nose red from the cold.

"What're you doing here?"

"I wanted to check if you were alright. I saw some form of drama down there."

"Just Larry being a dick."

"Being a man you mean," Alex jokes, trying to lighten the situation. "You not going back out there?"

"No. Don't really care about football that much."

"Why're you here then?"

"Maybe I was trying to make you jealous."

"I see," Alex comments, placing her arms on the door frame of the cubicle.

"Why're you here?"

"Maybe you succeeded," the brunette honestly replies, smiling at the younger woman.

"You worried about someone walking in?" Piper asks as Alex steps into her cubicle, closing the door behind her.

"I locked the main door," Alex answers, leaning back.

"How did you know I would be in here?"

"Intuition."

A period of comfortable silence elopes around them, and Piper feels as though she should voice her feelings.

"Alex - I don't think we should be alone in here any longer."

"Why not?"

"You know why not. I can barely stand sitting outside knowing you're near, nevermind being alone. You could lose your job; like you said, you don't want to fuck up your life based on attraction," Piper relays what the brunette had previously said, not sounding entirely convincing.

"I did say that," Alex replies, "but what I didn't say is that this is so much more than just attraction to me," she reveals, lifting her hand to brush a piece of the blonde's hair behind her ear before cupping her cheek.

"I like your hat," Piper says, causing the brunette to laugh.

"I just told you that I'm more than just attracted to you and you say you like my hat?"

"I didn't want to be cliché."

"I don't think that anything about us right now is cliché, Piper."

"You're right," the blonde replies, stepping closer to the older woman, resting her forehead on her collarbone.

"You good to head back out there?"

"No," Piper mumbles, moving her face back so that they're in line with one another.

Their eyes speak their own language, and as Piper sees the brunette wet her lips with her tongue - almost as though anticipating what could happen next, she decides to throw caution to the wind and leans in, shutting her eyes while doing so.

Their lips touch tentatively, testing the waters, until Piper tilts her head to the right, changing the direction of the kiss while Alex reciprocates. Placing her hands on either side of the brunette's jaw, the blonde opens her mouth, breathing against Alex's lips, and in feeling the brunette's teeth gently pull at her lower lip, she lets out a contented, high-pitched moan.

Alex is the first to pull away, resting their foreheads together while her hands rest on the blonde's hips.

"That can't happen again."

"Not even when I need help after class?" Piper flirts, fiddling with the v-cut neckline of the brunette's top.

"No."

"Not even when I need punishing for not coming to class," the blonde whispers into the brunette's ear.

"Jesus, Piper," Alex voices, tilting her head back while removing herself from the blonde, turning to open the cubicle door. "I'm going to unlock the door and I'm going to walk out of here and head home. You can do whatever you want after I leave."

"Whatever I want…?"

"Except follow me home."

"Damn," Piper chuckles, following Alex out the cubicle.

"I mean it, Piper. This can't happen again. Not when I'm your teacher."

"Of course," the blonde says while moving to the mirrors. "Have a good weekend, Miss Vause."

"You too, Piper Chapman."

Unlocking the main toilet door, Alex heads off, walking the opposite direction to the sports field.

Piper, standing alone in the toilet, stares at herself in the mirror. Brushing her lips with her index, she tries to hide her smirk at the memory of what just happened, and fails significantly.


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks for all the reviews!**

 **My life since last updating has seemed to have hit a speed bump... from having a trip to A+E courtesy of drunken antics to having no real sleeping pattern (currently uploading this at roughly 4am my time), I think a well-earned break is needed! I'm back home for a month at the end of this coming week, so stay tuned.**

 **Keep letting me know what you think/what you would like for me to consider including in future chapters!**

* * *

Tilting her head backwards, Piper lets out a loud gasp, mouth gaping open despite trying to be quiet. Her blonde hair slays out across her pillow while her naked form lays across the white bedsheets, duvet half thrown off her body. Her left hand, surface veiny from its position, grabs at her left breast, kneading the sensitive skin, while her manicured right hand works its magic between her legs, attempting to relieve it evident pent-up pressure.

It's been a week since her kiss with Alex, and although the temptation to throw caution to the wind and launch herself at the older woman can – at times – be overwhelming, the blonde knows that can't happen. So far, she's been successful at keeping her distance: only talking to the brunette when asked to, while avoiding her outside of class hours.

After unravelling her situation to her curious best friend, Piper finds it increasingly harder to stay away; although being warned to 'be careful', the blonde was also told that it was 'crazy' that she was fucking her teacher, which, although she tried to correct, Piper was forced to accept in vain.

So, while she lies in bed, sweaty, tense body canting upwards, Piper does the only thing she just about can do without facing any real-life consequences: imagine. With all the imagery and made-up scenarios, she can imagine, the blonde imagines that her hands belong to Alex, that it's Alex nibbling at her neck, whispering dirty things into her ear. Lost in her thoughts, she falls from a heavenly height, biting her lip to prevent voicing her pleasure out loud.

When her breathing returns to normal, the blonde stairs at the ceiling, almost as though reflecting over what she had just done. It felt good; _very good_ , but it can't keep happening. Not at its current rate. Knowing that she'll be seeing the brunette in class tomorrow sparks a fluttering in her chest to match the flush of red covering her cheeks, and despite being slightly embarrassed by what she had just done, she gets an idea, hoping it's something that will work in her favour.

* * *

"Piper… Piper…"

Turning her head from her where it was resting on the palm of her hand, the blonde is called out of her daydream in hearing her name repeatedly being called. Sitting in class, she sees her classmates all still facing the front – probably not listening, but for sure not linked to the same reasons of her own. For the last twenty minutes, Piper had found herself spacing in and out of class due to both the fact that listening to other people talk about their projects wasn't entirely thrilling, but also because the view of Alex was one she for sure was taking in.

Taking more of a laid-back approach to this lesson, Alex leans on the edge of her desk, listening intently to the answers from her students. Her waved raven-black hair cascades down her shoulders, while her outfit is matched with a smart white shirt, black pencil skirt and stiletto heels. She'd worn a similar outfit before, but, the blonde has to admit, she thinks her skirt is a lot shorter than it used to be, and in knowing that her attraction to the brunette is mutual, her thoughts of seeing what's underneath aren't as shameful.

"Sorry, what were you saying?" Piper says, seeing Alex looking straight into her eyes while unravelling her crossed arms, putting them behind her as she stretches her back slightly forwards.

"I asked about your project. What's it about?"

Adjusting herself on her seat, Piper answers confidently, having already thoroughly planned what she wanted to write about earlier in the week.

"Investigating the emotion of love vs. lust."

In looking at the brunette, Piper identifies she's trying her best to not reveal any form of emotion, whether that being professional or unprofessional – perhaps out of the fear of saying and/or doing something she shouldn't. The small rising of her temples indicate that the older woman is clenching her jaw, and while answering, she uses her hands to push herself off the desk she was sitting on.

"Because?"

"Because it's something everyone encounters throughout their lives, just at different stages. It's fascinating how both seem to always happen at the same time throughout literature."

The sound of the class bell rings throughout the room – indicating that class is over, and being that most students were counting down the seconds until the end of the lesson, the room quickly begins to empty.

"You didn't seem too impressed," Piper says quietly as she passes Alex's desk, seeing that the room is practically next to empty.

"Can I meet you in my office in 5 minutes. I just need to fill these out," the brunette replies, gesturing to a few report cards on her desk.

"Sure. I'll wait outside."

Not knowing why Alex particularly wants to meet has the blonde in a state of anxiety. _It's probably nothing_ , she thinks to herself, and after 10 minutes of waiting for the brunette, she begins to wonder if she's actually going to turn up.

"Sorry I'm a bit late," Alex says while brushing past, using her key to open her office door, gesturing for Piper to enter first while following behind, locking the door. "Just had to check I didn't have any meetings to be at."

"And do you?"

"Well I'm here, so, no. I don't."

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Piper asks as the brunette takes a seat next to her on the small sofa.

"I thought we could talk."

"About what?"

"I don't know. Your week."

"You called me into your office last thing on a Friday to talk about how my week has been?"

"Yeah," Alex puffs out, chuckling at how pathetic that sounded. "I want to know what's been happening in the life of Piper Chapman since we last spoke."

"Well nothing too exciting. I've had a tonne of work – most of which you've given me," she sarcastically says, rolling her eyes, "and have started writing up my project."

"You've started already?" Alex asks, turning her body to the side, while resting her left arm along the back of the small sofa.

"I've already read some of the books on the reading list, so felt I had a head start."

"You've picked quite the topic to explore," Alex admits, looking into the blonde's eyes.

"It there a problem with that?"

"No! Of course not – it's your choice," the brunette honestly answers before turning to a more serene approach. "I just don't want that to add to… I don't know… the awkwardness between us in class."

"It's not awkward."

"Then what was today about? You still have to listen in class, Pipes."

"I was listening."

"No you weren't," Alex says while using her hand to play with the ends of the blonde hair touching her fingers.

"Can you blame me," Piper replies, scanning her eyes down the brunette's body and back up to her face. "Is that new?" she goes on to ask, nodding her head down to the blonde's skirt.

"It isn't, no, but I will admit that I haven't worn it to work before."

"Why's that?"

"It doesn't really feel appropriate," Alex chuckles, shifting in her seat.

"You must have a thing for doing inappropriate things then."

"Something like that."

The pair sit in a comfortable silence, basking in one another's company knowing that the chances of being interrupted are low being that no one ever wants to stay late on a Friday afternoon.

"I like what you've done with the place," Piper says, looking around the office – one of which, she notes, is bigger than the temporary one the brunette had the year before.

"Thanks. I've tried to make it a comfortable place to work in."

"What's with the door?" Piper asks, looking over at the pieces of paper blocking over its small window.

"I like my privacy," Alex reveals, turning to look over at the door. "It stops people coming to ask me dumb questions because they can't tell if I'm in here or not."

"Clever."

"I thought so too. So what're you doing this weekend? Anything nice?"

"Not that I can think of. Yourself?"

"I have a pile of papers to mark calling my name and a parcel that I need to be in to collect, so equally exciting as yours by the sounds of it."

Piper chuckles at the woman next to her, not really knowing what to do with the free time they've suddenly allotted for themselves.

"You okay?" Alex asks, seeing the younger woman space out.

"Just not really too sure what to say."

"You don't have to say anything if you don't want to. I just thought it would be nice to see you."

"You see me in class."

"Not like this I don't. I mean it, Piper, how have you been?"

"Honestly," Piper begins, shutting her eyes as though preparing herself for what she's about to reveal, "I can't stop thinking about you."

Letting out a heavy breath through her nose, the brunette's eyes flicker shut before opening with a darker shade of green. "Neither can I," Alex replies, using her left hand to cup the blonde's jaw from their close positions on the sofa.

Leaning into the older woman's touch, Piper's senses are on fire, and deciding to act based on her instinct, she leans forward and closes the relatively short gap between them.

The kiss starts out the same as their last; low and passionate, and when the blonde places her left hand on the groove of Alex's hip, squeezing the skin, she groans into the kiss as Alex responds by lining her tongue along the edge of her lip, access the blonde grants immediately.

They continue their zealous kisses until the need for air becomes overpowering; Piper rests both of her hands on Alex's shoulders, breathing heavily.

"I don't think I can stop once I know what it's like to kiss you," the blonde reveals.

"I get the feeling," Alex replies, biting the corner of her lip.

"I don't think you get it, Alex. I can't stop thinking about it."

"We shouldn't be doing this."

"How can you say that when you know how right it feels."

"Pipes –" Alex begins, placing her hand on the blonde's knee. "I care about you. I couldn't forgive myself if this were to get out."

"It won't."

"I trust you, but I don't trust myself around you when we're alone."

"What? You afraid we'll get caught kissing on your sofa," Piper mocks tilting her head side to side.

"More like fucking on the desk if it were my way," Alex reveals, tilting her head backwards and running a hand through her glasses. "I think we should call this a day," she adds, standing up and holding out her hands to pull the blonde up.

"It sucks we won't be seeing each other until Monday," Piper says as she approaches the office door, her back to the brunette.

"It does, but think of it this way: we have our theatre trip coming up."

"Going on a compulsory trip and not be able to as much as look at you a certain way. Sounds _amazing_ ," Piper replies sarcastically, yet is stunned when a pair of arms wrap around her waist from behind.

"We may not be able to do this, but at least we'll be able to see each other," Alex whispers into her ear, turning the blonde around and backing her up against the wooden door. "Just imagine it's not a school trip if you're that bothered by it."

"I've been imagining many things as of recent, and that isn't one of my priorities, Al."

"Oh yeah. Like what?"

"Like you between my legs," the blonde boldly says – surprising not only the brunette, but herself.

"Jesus, Piper. That's hot," Alex groans.

"I thought so too," the blonde replies while running two fingers over the brunette's lower lip, "I came so hard last night just thinking about it."

Not being able to resist, Alex possessively connects their lips, both moaning at the contact, but as Piper's hands lower to fiddle with the waistband of the brunette's trousers, Alex immediately pulls back.

"That's a no-go, kid."

"Sorry, I-"

"Hey, don't worry about it," Alex says, smiling. "Restraint training is a bitch."

"You can say that again," Piper responds, lightly pushing the brunette backwards so she can turn back to leave the room.

"Restraint training is a bitch."

"I didn't mean it literally, asshole."

"Oh, my bad," Alex says, rolling her eyes as the pair share a smile when Piper opens the door.

"Think of me this evening," Piper says, looking down at the brunette's waistband.

"What makes you think I'll be doing _that_."

"Considering you have such great taste in women, it's a given," Piper self-appreciatingly concludes, giving a toothy smile before waving and shutting the door behind her.

Alex, left alone in her office, hurries to pack up her belongings, ready to get home and tend to her growing needs.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hoping to produce a lot more content over the Christmas period now that I'm home and not as busy. Let me know what you think.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Standing on the subway, balancing her body weight to ensure she doesn't fall over, Alex observes the small collection of students sitting down. The theatre production trip, although originally compulsory, was of high demand among the general public, meaning ticket sales were of low numbers. The students were instead given the choice of attending, in which only 10 took up the opportunity.

"We're do you want to sit?" a feminine voice comes from next to her, pulling Alex out of her daydreams.

"Sorry?" she questions politely, turning to face her colleague, Natalie - another English teacher, who is travelling with her on the trip.

"In the theatre. Do you want us to sit on different ends or…?"

"Oh, yeah, we can do that," Alex says, jutting her head to the side to check if the up-and-coming stop is theirs. "Do you have the phone?"

"What phone?"

"The trip phone."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Alex," the woman - who is of the same age as the brunette - chuckles, placing her hand on Alex's upper arm, squeezing lightly.

The train rocks to the side, causing a loud screeching noise to fill the atmosphere. Leaning forward so that her colleague can hear her, Alex voices in her ear: "The phone we have to take on trips. We give the number to the students to ring it if they need to."

In seeing her colleague's wide eyes, the brunette lets out a huff. "Fuck."

"Fuck indeed."

"You need to give them your number," Alex says, gesturing at the smaller woman next to her.

"Yeah, and I'll ask them to save it as 'Natalie' while we're at it," she replies sarcastically.

"Well, _Natalie_ , you're the one for forgot the phone."

"But you're in charge of this trip. You give your number out."

"Why don't we go half and half?" Alex reasons, feeling reluctant to give out her phone number to her students.

"Which half do you want?" Natalie asks.

Alex, turning to look over at the students who are seated at the far end of their carriage, is met with a set of piercing blue eyes burning into her, seeming unreadable, before they turn away.

"I'll take the left," the brunette says, having identified where Piper was sitting, "but you only need to give it to one of them."

"Doesn't that defeat the purpose?" the smaller woman asks.

"Unless you want all of these students knowing your private number? By all means, be my guest."

"Point taken."

* * *

"Miss Vause and Miss Green seem to be getting on over there," one of Piper's classmates voices, causing the blonde's head to turn towards the tall brunette.

Through the pathway of the other people standing on the train, Piper's eyes fall onto Alex, quickly frowning at what she sees. The brunette is engaging in a conversation with a colleague - a teacher Piper isn't familiar with, and in witnessing a hand rest onto Alex's upper arm, a series of chuckling, and the taller woman lean into the other woman's ear to whisper something, her blood begins to boil. When the brunette looks her way, Piper adverts her eyes, not wanting to see anything else unfold.

Not normally the jealous type, Piper tries to not think about what she had just seen, but in hearing the gossip about how the two women would 'look good together', and the oncoming bets as to whether they would become a couple, she intervenes.

"What makes you think they're even gay?"

"Haven't you seen they're looking at each other?" one of her classmates counters, and before Piper can form a reply, Alex shouts down that this is their stop, telling the students to get ready to leave.

By the time everyone exits the train and is counted, the group starts to walk towards their needed destination.

Piper, having been separated from her best friend who is actually a member of a creative writing class, walks next to Polly, who immediately picks up on the blonde's change in mood.

"Are you okay? I heard some of those things back there."

Since their first kiss, Piper had - as instructed - given her best friend a synthesised run down on everything that had happened between herself and Alex. Although slightly concerned with the blonde's situation initially, in seeing how serious she was about the older woman, Polly promised to support her best friend in keeping the secret to herself.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Pipes, you don't have to act tough about it," Polly whispers as they walk along the street. "It looked like nothing to me."

"Yeah, I know. It's just been a long week," the blonde adds, alluding to not only the large workload she had, but the miniscule amount of time she had had with Alex since the last time she was in her office over a week ago.

"Well, I'll be your wingwoman this evening," Polly confirms, giving off a beaming smile.

"Polly, this is a school trip," Piper laughs at her best friend's enthusiasm.

"Live a little, Piper."

"You don't even know the half of it, Pol," the blonde concludes with a smirk, wiping the smile off her best friend's face as they come to a stop outside the theatre.

* * *

 _Why won't she look at me?_ , Alex thinks to herself as she waits outside the toilets with a group of students, Piper included.

Hoping that the blonde will look up eventually, Alex fixes her gaze on the younger woman, assessing what she looks like. Her shoulder-length blonde hair is let down in waves which contrasts with the black scarf she has wrapped around her neck. She's wearing a black pair of skinny jeans with a pair of Chelsea boots, matched with a long, grey coat - one of which, along with her scarf's placement, hides the jumper she's wearing underneath.

"Don't forget to give out that number," Natalie says to Alex with a wink while she starts to lead the way into the stalls, ripping Alex out of her blonde-infused daydream.

"Piper," Alex says to the blonde, causing her to turn from where she was following the rest of her classmates.

"Yeah."

"I need to give you this," the brunette adds, reaching her pocket for her phone. "We forgot the trip phone, so my number will just have to do."

"You're giving out your phone number?" Piper asks, eyes wide.

"Only to you."

"Why only me?"

"Come on, Piper, just take down the number," Alex whisper-shouts through clenched teeth.

"I'll even save you under 'Miss Vause'," the blonde relents, taking out her own phone to transfer the number.

"Are you planning on sitting next to anyone?" Piper asks as they start to walk towards the stalls, trying to catch up with the rest of the pack.

"Natalie and I are taking opposite sides, so I guess I'm on the end. Yourself?"

"I thought you would be sitting next to _Natalie_ ," Piper says, placing a strange emphasis on the woman's name.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Alex asks before holding up their tickets to the person on the door while smiling.

"Nothing. Nevermind."

"It didn't sound like nothing."

"I said nothing. I said nevermind."

"If you say so," Alex unconvincingly adds. "I wouldn't have sat next to her even if she asked, Pipes. I was planning on being next to or near you."

"You were?" Piper asks, surprised by the brunette's admission.

"Yeah," Alex smiles and stops when they reach their row, holding out her arm to let Piper in first.

"Looks like it's your lucky day," the blonde whispers while squeezing past, taking the next available seat next to Polly, leaving the end seat for Alex.

"You're welcome, Polly whispers into Piper's ear, trying to live up to her self-declared wingwoman status.

Half way through the play, with the lighting dim and the crowd transfixed, Alex feels contact on the side of her arm that was resting on the arm rest. Peering her eyes to the side, she sees the blonde's arm joining her own, taking residence on the small, unoccupied space. Not taking too much notice of the blonde's actions, Alex continues to watch the play, yet it isn't until she feels a pinkie finger rest against her own that she starts to lose track of the stage before her.

They remain in this comfortable position until the interval, where Alex stands up to stretch her legs as well as allow any people on their row to pass by. So far, her interaction with Piper had been minimal; innocent, and although the temptation is there, the brunette is content with how the evening is going.

"Can I please get past?" a voice asks from next to the brunette.

Turning and seeing her colleague wanting to get by, Alex moves to the side, watching Piper's reaction to the exchange when a hand brushes her hip when passing by.

Choosing not to bring up what happened, Alex stays standing, distracting herself with her phone as everyone eventually moves past her and returns to their seats.

Throughout the first 20 minutes of the show, the blonde's arm covers the entirely of the arm rest, ruling out any space for the brunette to place her arm. Deciding to instead focus on the play in front of her, Alex, yet again, is pulled out of focus in feeling a hand touch her thigh. Looking down at the veiny hand resting on her leg tentatively, Alex turns her head to see blue eyes focused ahead on the stage, along with everyone else involved in their party of people. The hand lays relatively innocent until it starts to slide lower, fingers tickling the brunette's inner thigh.

Alex, feeling as though she's about to combust under the contact, covers the blonde's hand with her own, stopping her movements considering the current setting that they're in. Keeping her hand closed over the blonde's, Alex intertwines their fingers lightly, squeezing her hand both out of warning and comfort.

When the play ends, Alex releases Piper's hand, to which the blonde removes her own, and for the first time throughout the time spent sitting next to each other, the pair look at one another and share a sombre smile.

Getting up from her seat, Alex stretches her arms over her head, catching the blonde's reddening cheeks after being caught staring at the slither of the brunette's stomach that poked out momentarily.

Nothing is said between the pair on the journey back, and it isn't until they all arrive back at Litchfield High that they're once again faced with one another.

"I'm heading home now," Piper says as she walks over to Alex, who is standing alone, checking that everyone's parents are picking them up as signed on their permission slip.

"Where're your parents?"

"They're away for the week, so I'll walk home."

"You can't walk on your own in the dark, Piper."

"Well, I did put it on the sheet I gave in," the blonde smartly adds. "Plus, I have no other option."

"Which way are you heading?"

"Left. Why?"

"I'll join you then."

"You don't have to do that."

"No, I don't, but I want to," Alex smiles. "I just need to go and grab something from my classroom - I'll meet you back here."

Walking to her classroom as quickly as she can, Alex reflects over the past evening with the blonde. Despite being on a trip with students, she had enjoyed herself. Although the play didn't have much to do with her happiness, that's what she'll tell herself if she needed to, and when she eventually reaches the main doors of the building to leave the school building, Alex finds herself smiling at the sight of Piper talking animatedly on the phone to someone, waving her left hand around as though explaining something.

Walking over to the blonde, offering a smile with raised eyebrows, Alex sees Piper finish up the call and put her phone back into her pocket.

"Ready to go?" Alex asks.

"Yeah, that was just Polly."

"I see," Alex says as they start to walk along the pavement together. "That was quite bold of you back there," she adds, still looking ahead while walking.

"It didn't bother you, did it?"

"While I was enjoying having the arm rest to myself, no. No it didn't."

They walk together, Piper providing a brief synopsis of her home life while directing where they're going.

"What about you?" Piper asks Alex, sensing her reserved nature when it comes to talking about herself.

"It's just me and my mom. Always has been."

"How have you found that?"

"I wouldn't have had it any other way. I used to wish I had a sibling, but then I grew out of it."

"She seems cool."

"Cool doesn't quite cover it, kid."

Under the streetlights, the pair turn into a road filled with large, expensive-looking homes - to an extent the brunette is shocked by the size of Piper's house when it comes into view, but then on another, she isn't considering some of the things the blonde had just shared about her family and upbringing.

"This is me," Piper voices as they reach her front door having walked up the dark path.

"Really? I thought you were just standing on some random person's doorstep."

"Asshole," Piper says while she lightly pushes the brunette's shoulder.

"You should really put some lights on if no one's in."

"Blame my brother. He's staying with friends and forgets every time," Piper answers before taking a pause and again starts with a whisper. "Do you want to come in?"

"I really shouldn't, Piper. Someone might see."

"Alex, we're standing in the pitch black. No one can see us. Let me give you a tour and then you can leave? Please."

"Make it a quick tour," Alex replies while rolling her eyes, pretending to seem annoyed.

Smiling at her counterpart, Piper fishes her keys out of her bag and unlocks the door, leading the older brunette inside.

The 'tour' is a lot less like a regular tour, in which Alex instructs to only be shown the downstairs, not wanting to step into the threshold of Piper's bedroom. The pair are currently sitting on the blonde's sofa, talking about things from books to travel, and while delivering a form of monologue about her favourite places of travel, Alex is transfixed by the woman sitting to the left of her.

Piper, Alex notes, is talking with great passion about the subject at hand, and Alex takes this time to study the blonde. _Really_ study the blonde. Scanning the light freckles that pattern across her nose and cheeks, the small vein running from her forehead, the shape of her eyebrows, the slight redness to her complexity. It comes to a point where the brunette is no longer listening, and feeling as though she can no longer resist, she interrupts the blonde by attacking her lips with her own.

Unlike their previous kisses, this one starts passionately - open mouths and heavy breathing; it isn't long until Alex is pulling Piper closer, and to prevent continuing in an awkward angle, the blonde hooks a leg over the brunette's lap to straddle the space, cupping her hands either side of the older woman's jaw.

Alex runs one hand through blonde hair while the other acts as an anchor on her hip, fiddling with the hem of her t-shirt to try and feel some skin. Hearing the blonde moaning into the kiss at the slight skin-on-skin contact, Alex next feels fumbling fingers playing with the buttons of her white shirt - something she hadn't changed out of after work.

Once Piper eventually finishes with the buttons, Alex feels the garment being pushed aside and, after feeling teeth lightly sink into her lower lip, she witnesses the blonde break the kiss and stare down at the view before her.

"You're beautiful, Alex," Piper admits, causing a light blush to tinge the brunette's cheeks, before she leans forwards to attack the blonde's neck with her lips, placing her hands on her ass while doing so.

Lost in the moment, the pair feel as though this could go on further; Alex groans and bites down into the blonde's neck at the feel of two soft hands resting on her covered breasts, and soon removes her face from the sweaty groove to reconnect their lips.

"We should stop here," Alex tries to voice between sloppy kisses.

"You should at least try to sound a bit convincing, Alex," Piper pants back, not believing the older woman actually supports her previous statement.

What the blonde does next stuns the brunette, as when Piper rips her mouth away from Alex's, her hands shoot straight down to her own jeans, fiddling and undoing the button.

"Pipes-"

"Shut up," Piper commands, moving forward to slip her tongue into the brunette's mouth.

Alex then feels the blonde reach behind to grab her left hand that was resting on her ass, bringing it forward towards her now opened jeans. The brunette grips the edge of the open material, pulling the blonde's body closer, and breaks the kiss to look at what she's dealing with. The blonde was wearing - from what she can identify - red laced pants that aren't too revealing and seemed well fitted.

Looking back up at Piper, eyes connecting almost as though seeking confirmation, the brunette sees a confident nod, but before anything a progress further, a loud knocking appears on the front door.

The pair pause in their positions, not wanting to make a noise as they listen for any sign of who's at the door. After roughly 30 seconds, the knocking starts again - this time louder, followed by the sound of the postbox flap being pushed open and a masculine voice.

"Piper - are you in? I forgot my keys and need to pick up some money," echoes Cal's voice through the door, to which Piper's eyes widen and her body stiffens up.

The pair are still unmoved until they hear another mutter through the door about a 'plant pot' and a 'spare key'.

Piper launches herself off the sofa, pulling Alex with her, and the pair fall onto the ground. Alex lets out a surprised huff at the sudden manoeuvre, while Piper has all of the air taken out of her when the brunette lands on top of her, pelvises crashing into one other. Had it been in any other circumstance, she would have been thrilled by their current position, but in hearing the sound of jingling keys being placed into the door, Alex feels her ass being grabbed roughly as she's flipped sideways and off the blonde.

"Hide in there," Piper whisper-shouts as she gets up off the floor in a hurry, flattening out her hair before rushing towards the front door while fastening her jeans back up.

Alex, also in a rush, gets up from the floor, alters an out of place pillow, tries to button up her shirt, and heads for the area in which Piper told her to hide. She soon discovers that her height isn't a helpful attribute when it comes to hiding, so leaning against the kitchen wall behind its door is her only option, to which she prays Piper's brother doesn't need to come into the room.

Now in position - arms resting at her side as her back is to the wall, Alex listens to the exchange at the door, trying her best to regulate her breathing.

"Sorry, Cal, I was in the bathroom," Piper calmly voices as Alex hears the front door open.

"Thanks, Pipes. I just needed to grab my wallet from my room. I'll be a sec.

Alex hears a loud stomping sound above her head - a sign that Piper's brother has gone up the stairs, and when the frantic blonde enters the kitchen, she pushes the door over and grabs Alex by the hand, pulling her towards the back door.

"I'm sorry our evening ended like this," she whispers, not wanting to chance being heard by her brother.

"Don't worry about it, kid," Alex says, using her right hand to brush a lock of blonde hair behind the younger girl's ear. "I'll head out the back."

The blonde opens the back door and interlocks their hands while walking the older woman to the right side of the house where they now stand at a locked wooden gate.

"See you tomorrow?" Piper questions while breaking their hand connection to unlock the door with a key.

"See you tomorrow," Alex confirms through a smile.

The brunette leans over and drops one last kiss onto the blonde's lips before walking through the gate, leaving out of sight.

Piper shuts and locks the gate - doing the same to the back door, and returns to the living room before her brother reappears and announces his departure.

Taking a seat down on the sofa where herself and Alex had been previously, Piper sinks backwards, relieved they weren't caught, yet biting her lip at the thought of the bases that were close to being hit.

* * *

The last 2 weeks of term fly by, and the Christmas break leaves the blonde longing for Alex. She relents from using the older woman's mobile number to contact her - aware that anyone could get her hands on an electronic device, and by the time term re-starts, the blonde's workload piles up, resulting in only being able to see the brunette when in class.

It was now the end of January, and despite Alex's reassurance when they had last spoken after class a week ago, Piper was nervous about the very up-and-coming parent-teacher conference. Being that it's her senior year, the annual parent-teacher conference was being hosted early in the term, and regardless of how much prep she had given herself, Piper wasn't sure how she'd handle her parents meeting Alex for the first time.

Carol and Bill Chapman have high standards for their daughter, and although every year, teachers sing her praises, this is the first time that Piper wants their approval regarding the staff member, not the comments per se. Despite being under false pretenses, she wants them to like Alex, and when she leads them towards the English department's block of tables, her nerves increase tenfold in seeing the badge: 'Miss Vause, English teacher', splayed out on her teacher's desk.

"Hi, Piper," Alex says, standing from her chair after seeing the blonde - trying to act as though she hadn't already noticed them coming from a mile away. "Mr and Mrs Chapman, it's a pleasure to meet you," Alex adds through a toothy smile, holding out her hand to which the blonde's parents' shake in greeting. "Please, take a seat."


	9. Chapter 9

**Here's a double update, so check out Chapter 8 if you haven't already!**

* * *

"This'll be a quick one considering I don't have one bad critique about your daughter," Alex begins with a chuckle, feeling nervous given the near unimpressed glares she's receiving from opposite the table. "Piper moved into the top class this year and certainly isn't out of place. She's consistently been getting the highest grades among the group, which will definitely help with her college application or whatever steps she'll take moving forward."

"Did you take English at College?" Carol asks, seemingly ignoring most of what Alex had just said.

"Yes, I did. I have a Masters too."

"What sort of money can that get you in life?" the older blonde goes on to ask, causing Alex to clear her throat and prop herself up in her seat out of surprise.

"Well that depends on what you want to do with your degree."

"I can imagine your wages through teaching don't equate to much."

"Mom!" Piper warns through a clenched jaw, embarrassed by her mother's actions.

"Mrs Chapman, I don't think now is the appropriate time to be discussing my wages if there ever is one. I'd like to focus on your daughter and her progress if that's okay with you?" Alex asks, irritated by the woman before her, yet trying to remain calm for Piper.

"Sorry, please carry on," the blonde's father chimes in, allowing Alex to guess he actually cares about his daughter's education.

"Piper is an exceptional student and with her ability, any college or institution would be lucky to have her. She's been getting straight As, and her coursework project seems to be along the lines of some of her best work yet," Alex mentions, flickering between Piper's parents' eyes with a smile on her face.

"Do you have any questions about anything?" the brunette asks, and in seeing Carol open her mouth to voice something, she makes an addition, "About Piper."

The older blonde's mouth pauses in motion, and the older grey-haired man voices that they're content with what they've heard and have no questions.

"I'll let you all get going then," Alex says while she attempts to bring the conversation to a close, standing up from her chair to again shake Piper's parents' hands.

"Thank you," Bill says while shaking the brunette's hand, adding through a whisper and smile: "Sorry about her."

"Don't mention it," Alex chuckles. "I'll see you in class tomorrow, Piper," she adds, looking to the right to make eye contact with the blonde.

"See you then, Miss Vause," Piper replies before making a swift exit with her parents' to see her next teacher, not wanting to subject Alex to another second with her family.

* * *

Sitting at the dinner table with her family, Piper is zoning out, tired of her mother's monologue about how studying English at college won't open enough doors in the future. In hearing a snark comment come out of her mother's mouth about the 'tall brunette with the glasses' being 'condescending', Piper snaps, finally unable to let herself be a victim of her mother's expectations.

"You're being the condescending one, Mom," the young blonde voices, to which Carol stops mid-sentence to look over at her daughter.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, come on, Mom. I get it - you don't want me to take English at college because it won't make me enough money to find a suiting husband, but guess what: I'm going to do what _I_ want because it seems like I'm the only person that has _my_ best interests at heart," Piper shouts, loudly pushing back from the table onto her feet.

"Piper Elizabeth Chapman! What on earth is the matter with you?" Carol retorts, shocked by her daughter's sudden outburst.

"What's the matter with me?" the blonde shouts in question. "You need to take a look at yourself, Mom," she adds while turning to walk out the dining room and upstairs, "and I don't need a fucking husband."

When she eventually reaches her room, making sure the door is locked, Piper flops onto her bed face-first into a pillow. Tired of the stress of her home life; tired of the stress of her school life; tired of the stress of her love life, the young blonde lets out her emotions, allowing herself - for what feels like the first time - to break down and cry.

All she's ever wanted was her family's approval. From a young age, Piper looked up to her parents, and it wasn't until the age of 16 that that all started to fall apart. From their daily arguments and their lack of physical attentiveness, the young blonde finds herself at times feeling isolated within her own home - burdened by expectation.

Bringing Alex into the equation only makes matters worse. Piper knows her feelings for the taller brunette are growing with the more time they spend together, yet knows their current position leaves them in a stalemate. She couldn't even think about what her parents would do if they found out she was somewhat romantically involved with a woman, nevermind her teacher, and its in this moment that she knows she needs to speak to Alex, tell her what's on her mind.

Rolling over onto her back, taking her phone out of her pocket, Piper searches her contacts list, selecting 'Alex', having decided saving the brunette's number as 'Miss Vause' in her phone would not have been a smart idea.

After typing and deleting several long-winded messages, Piper settles for a simple message, reading: _Can I call you?_ , and hits send.

The reply comes a few minutes later - a response she was expecting, given the older woman didn't have her mobile number: _Who is this?_.

 _Piper_ , the blonde replies, and after seeing that Alex had read the message, she calls the number before she can even receive a reply.

"Hello," Alex says, having picked up on the second ring, and in hearing the deep, husky voice, Piper feels tense.

"Hey," the blonde breathes out in reply.

"I didn't realise we were calling each other now. Are you okay?"

"Just needed to hear your voice."

"Piper - if something's up you know you can tell me. Is it about this evening?"

Piper sighs into the phone, feeling drained. "Yeah. I argued with my mom about my future. It's like she doesn't even care about what I want. I mean all I'm trying to do is be a good daughter and live up to expectations, but no. Apparently that's something else I'm shit at in their eyes," she rants down the phone, feeling her levels of anger rise again.

"Slow down there, kid," Alex says, interrupting the blonde's flow of argument. "I know I don't know you as well as they do, but I know that you're not shit at anything. You're funny, you're smart, you're thoughtful."

"I'm just struggling to manage it all."

"What do you mean?"

"My life. My family. Work. You."

"Am… am I worrying you?" Alex asks, not wanting to press the blonde too far.

"No, Alex, of course not. I worry myself."

"You can't let other people's expectations get the better of you, Pipes."

"I know," the blonde quietly voices down the phone, letting out a sniffle - an indication that she's crying.

"What do you really mean to say?"

"I don't think I can keep doing this, Alex. Seeing you in the day and having to pretend that there's nothing more going on between us. It's driving me crazy."

"I know, but it's not like we can run around holding hands and everything," Alex huffs, feeling herself becoming emotional as she predicts what's about to come next.

"I just think we should keep things platonic until the end of the year," Piper struggles to get out, not wanting the brunette to hear her breakdown.

"You're the one who keeps saying about how right everything feels, and now all of a sudden you're the one calling the shots. What about what I want?"

"Al-"

"No, you don't get to 'Al' me right now," Alex interrupts, and a silence echoes down the phone.

"It doesn't change the way I feel about you," Piper whispers into the phone, voice cracking. "I just need some time to figure out what _I_ want right now - for my future, Alex, without anything having the opportunity of getting in the way of that."

"What if you realise that I'm not involved in those plans?" Alex asks, not wanting to seem desperate, but eager to know.

"That's not why I'm doing this. I want to find the version of me that doesn't have to rely on what others think - a better version of me."

"The current version of you is perfect, Piper."

The blonde, still lying on her back, can no longer fight back the tears, as she unleashes the pent-up flood of emotion that's been weighing her down as of recent.

"I'm sorry," she eventually manages to get out. "Alex, I'm so sorry, but I can't be doing this right now."

"So what do you want?"

"I want this to stop. Just until I get my shit sorted out."

"And you expect me to wait around for you?"

"I'm not expecting anything from you."

"Piper - you're basically telling me to fuck off, but you want me to still be around when you're done with your drama," Alex says, her rage increasing at the sudden change in events between them. "You're the one who gets jealous over nothing; you're the one comes into my office even though you don't need help; you're the one who invited me into your house and nearly had sex with me!"

"I know I am," Piper too increases the volume of her voice, "but I'm also a human being with feelings. Ones of which I'm struggling to balance right now," she adds, sounding defeated.

"Okay. I get it," Alex says into the phone, her voice - fluctuating with emotion - lets the blonde know how badly she's taking the information.

"It won't be like this forever, Alex."

"Miss Vause. That's my name. I am your teacher and you are my student, Piper," Alex corrects with a stern voice. "Delete my number."

"Please, Alex," Piper pleads down the phone, evidently crying, "This is only temporary… I lov-"

The phone line is cut off as the brunette ends the call, hanging up the phone.

The blonde stretches her arms out to the side, letting go of her device, and lets the tears fall as she stares into the abyss of her white ceiling.


	10. Chapter 10

Throughout the next few weeks, Alex keeps herself to herself, leaving work as soon as the school day ends, and using all of her free time to mark work. Her encounters with Piper since their phone call were minimal - only seeing each other in class, and even then the brunette avoided all forms of eye contact with the younger blonde.

With it being the last day of the term, Alex was collecting the final drafts of her students' projects, giving her 2 weeks to mark them over. Sitting at her desk in front of her computer, the brunette reads out a list of students' names, in which they reply indicating their attendance.

"Piper," she reads out, not looking up.

In hearing no reply, she repeats herself while reluctantly diverting her eyes from the screen only to be looking at an empty chair at the back of the room. Worry immediately courses through her body, concerned about the young blonde's whereabouts, yet quickly gets over the thought, continuing with the rest of her lesson as planned.

By the end of the hour, Alex is still seated at her desk in the empty room, flicking through the pile of long essays she has to mark over the up-and-coming break. A quiet knock at the door breaks the room's silence, and, while engrossed in the papers, she shouts a monotone 'come in'.

The door opens, and when the brunette looks up to see who's entering the room, she's conflicted about the fact that she's now alone with Piper Chapman.

"Sorry, I'm just here to give you this," Piper says, holding out a stapled copy of her essay project.

Alex - not offering a verbal response - holds out her hand - an indication for the blonde to come closer to give her the paper.

"Where were you today?" the brunette asks as she takes the work from the blonde.

"I had an appointment."

"Is everything ok?" Alex goes on to ask, making eye contact with the blonde for the first time in weeks, feeling partially annoyed that her voice betrayed her conflicting thoughts by sounding worried.

"Um, yeah," Piper replies, fiddling with her hands nervously, "getting there. How about with you? Everything ok?" she goes on to ask, both knowing what she's referring to.

"Just about," Alex ambiguously replies, her lipped smile not quite reaching the eyes.

The pair continue to look into one another's eyes, before Piper diverts her gaze to the floor, letting out a heavy breath.

"Alex I-"

"You don't have to explain yourself to me, Piper."

"I just… I miss how things were. I miss you.."

Pushing her glasses onto her head, Alex leans back in her chair.

"Don't say that."

"But I am."

"Piper, I'm trying so hard right now to respect what you want. You can't just come to me and say things like that after what you said to me over the phone."

"I just want you to know that this isn't easy for me."

"I know it isn't," Alex sighs, standing up with the chunk of papers in her hand before pushing them into her bag, "which is why you need to leave."

"I'm sorry, Alex. I really am," the blonde says, longingly looking at the brunette.

"Me too," the older woman replies, before her ringing cell phone vibrates from its position on the desk. Walking around the desk to pick up the phone, Alex sees who it's from and turns to the blonde.

"Girlfriend?" Piper asks through a fake chuckle.

"I need to get this," Alex says, ignoring the comment.

"Yeah, of course."

"Go, Piper."

Rushing to pick up her coat and bag, the brunette hears the classroom door close. Walking out herself, fiddling with her keys to lock the door, the phone's ringing dies out in her hand. Heading down the corridor, she rings back the number while leaving the building to get to her car.

"Hi, sorry, I'm just leaving now. No I didn't forget we're meeting… okay maybe I did, but I'm coming now," she says into the phone before chuckling at whatever the person on the other end says and putting the phone into her pocket in exchange for her car keys.

What the brunette doesn't know is that Piper had overheard her call being that she had been to her locker before leaving the building herself; and in true Chapman fashion, her mind spirals at the possibilities of who Alex could have been on the phone to.

* * *

With instrumental music playing in the background, Alex sits opposite her mother, both sipping a glass of wine having finished their meal.

Although Diane can sense that her daughter is stressed and is worried about her well-being - as indicated by the bags under her eyes, she doesn't address the elephant in the room. Ever since her daughter had opened up about her stresses in having to teach the student she was somewhat _involved_ with and the since call they had shared, Diane was reluctant to bring up the subject. Although eventually talking about work is an inevitable topic that comes up, the older brunette had ensured she thought through when it was appropriate to bring up Alex's current career-based progressions.

"So, how's work been?" Diane asks.

"Good."

"Don't lie, Alex."

"I'm not lying," Alex says, shrugging her shoulders.

"Honey, please, I'm your mother. Just tell me already," Diane counters, before seeing her daughter suddenly space out, eyes looking over her shoulder. "Alex?," she asks yet receives no response. "Alex?" she repeats, this time kicking her daughter under the table cloth.

"OW! What?!" Alex whisper-shouts to her mother, arm reaching down to rub her shin while looking back into the opposite set of green eyes.

"What's going on with you?"

"What's going on with me? You're the one that just kicked me under the table!" Alex defensively remarks.

The older brunette, sensing something is off with her daughter, turns around, to see - what looks like - a family of 6 sitting down at a table not too far away from their own. Scanning her eyes over each of the members, and in seeing a tall, young blonde girl taking off her jacket before sitting down, Diane turns back to face her daughter.

"Holy shit, Alex!" she exclaims, eyebrows raised.

"Mom-"

"Is that her? I mean it must be - she looks exactly like you described, yet more mature looking if that's even possible."

"Yes, that is Piper. Are we going to talk about her: no."

"Oh, come on, Alex, don't be like that."

"Don't be like what?"

"Like a bitchy school girl."

"I didn't even say anything."

"Exactly."

"Mom - she made her point pretty clear, and I'm going to have to respect that."

"Then why can't you abide by the rule of looking at someone when they're talking to you?" Diane asks, referring to the fact that her daughter's eyes are constantly trained on the table of people in view behind them.

"Can we take this somewhere else? Please?" Alex pleads, not wanting to be sitting near Piper any longer.

"Sure," Diane replies while smiling at her daughter's sudden nervousness, before leading them into the restaurant's bar area.

Alex tried to keep her eyes away from Piper's table while walking past - better yet, hoping not to be seen, and although she managed to successfully keep her own eyes away, not everything a person wishes for always happens at once.

* * *

"Man this is going to be so awkward," Cal says to his sister as they sit alone in the car.

"Not for you it isn't. How do you think I feel about this?" the blonde replies in question, tilting her head back on the headrest.

This evening, to celebrate her brother, Danny's, engagement to his long-term girlfriend, a Chapman family meal was organised at an expensive up-market local restaurant. The tension in her household has been especially prevalent since her outburst and argument with her mother regarding her choices that would impact her future, and in celebrating the successes of her even more so successful older brother, the blonde doesn't feel particularly accomplished with how she's handled things as of recent.

"Let's just hope Dad doesn't do a speech. That never goes down well."

Not replying to her brother, the car doors opens as their parents get in, announcing that they'll be meeting Danny and his fiancée at the restaurant before starting to drive off.

From the second she walks into the restaurant, the blonde wants to go home, and after greeting her brother and his soon-to-be wife, taking off her jacket, and taking a seat, Piper is already counting down the minutes until they can leave. Their table orders their drinks and are busy conversing about how her brother got down onto one knee; out of her peripheral vision, it seems as though someone is walking towards their table, and although mistaken when she turns her head to observe, Piper's vision is fixed on the woman she sees before her. Despite her hurried manoeuvre, Alex looks amazing, she notes, and if it wasn't for the fact that she's currently with her family and that it seems as though the brunette is with someone, she wouldn't have looked away. _Wait, she's with someone? Of course she is - I told her not to wait for me_.

Throughout the course of her dinner, her eyes shift towards the brunette who had moved from sitting in a booth with her companion to sitting alone on a bar stool; _so she's now alone_ , the blonde thinks to herself, letting out a sigh of relief.

"So, Pipes, how's your world treating you?" Danny asks from where he's seated opposite his sister while their parents are talking to his fiancée.

"Good - stressful, but good."

"And are there any people in your life at the minute from the male calibre?" he goes on to slyly ask, raising his eyebrows while smirking as he takes a sip from his drink.

"Nope," Piper responds confidently, yet her brother's burning gaze creates a rose flush that appears on her cheeks.

"Why don't you help me get some more drinks," Danny prompts nodding his head down to the empty wine glasses on the table.

"Sure," Piper agrees, standing from the table to follow her brother.

Arriving at her bar, Piper's eyes fall to the tall brunette sitting at the bar, talking to and laughing with the person currently serving drinks, and if the situation wasn't awkward enough, when her brother leads the way to the bar, he stands next to the brunette, who looks to her left, eyes immediately meeting Piper's.

Alex's jaw visibly clenches before she downs the rest of her drink, gets up from her chair and removes herself from the situation, stumbling as she does so. Piper notes that the older woman didn't head towards the restaurant's entrance, yet in seeing the poor coordination she had displayed when walking off, the blonde is worried for the older woman - worried that she might do something she might regret.

"I'm just heading to the bathroom," Piper voices into her brother's ear before following the path the brunette took, only to indeed be faced by the bathroom door.

The room - one side filled with cubicles and the other covered by mirrors and sinks, is quiet, and if it weren't for the sound of wrenching coming from one of the cubicles, the blonde would have thought it was empty. Walking over to the end cubicle that is slightly open, the blonde slowly pushes the door open, knocking lightly while doing so.

"Alex?" she gently voices, and when she doesn't get a reply, having opened the door, she sees why.

Before her, knees on the floor and head in the toilet bowl, is Alex Vause, reeling in the effects of her alcohol consumption as her body rejects her recently digested items.

"Oh, Alex," Piper whispers, entering the cubicle and pushing the door closed behind her, pulling back the brunette's hair with her hands.

The blonde soothingly rubs the older woman's back, trying to offer words of encouragement, all while it seems as though her presence isn't being registered.

"I guess bathroom stalls are our favourite place," the brunette finally says, referring to the last time they were in a bathroom cubicle, having flushed the toilet and reached to her right to grab some toilet paper to wipe her mouth.

"Are you okay?" Piper asks, taking out her hairband to tie the brunette's hair into a ponytail.

"No," Alex honestly admits, lowering her head while groaning.

"Do you want me to go?"

"Do you want to go?"

"That's not what I asked."

"Why are you here, Piper?"

"Family dinner," the blonde says, hoping Alex won't realise she avoided really answering the true meaning of her question.

"That's not what I meant," the older woman reprimands, turning sideways yet falling into a sitting position, toilet seat to her right and back resting on the side cubicle wall.

"You looked like you needed someone."

"Well I'm fine on my own."

"You don't seem like it."

"And why do you think that is?" Alex snaps, however in seeing the blonde's chest expand and her eyes shut, she places her head into her hands while bringing her knees up to her own chest. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have anything to be sorry about, Alex."

"No, Piper, I do. I'm the adult here. I never should have let this spiral out of control like it has. I could get arrested. I could get a record."

"Alex -" Piper starts, making sure the door is fully locked before sitting next to the older woman on the floor, trying not to think about the unhygienic nature of the situation at hand. "You haven't done anything wrong. I wanted this," she pauses, pulling a hand away from the brunette's face, interlinking their fingers. "Want this."

"But you said-"

"I know what I said. I just can't take how you're handling this."

"How I'm handl-" Alex begins, yet the sound of the bathroom door followed by a voice interrupts.

"Alex - are you coming back out here? I'm leaving," a feminine voice asks, to which Piper's eyes widen at the woman next to her, about to open her mouth to ask who the hell is on the other side of the door. Before the blonde can express her outburst, however, Alex places her mouth over the blonde's, silencing whatever she was about to say.

The pair wait - despite the blonde's initial form of resistance, until they hear the woman leave the bathroom, who accepted that Alex supposedly wasn't in the bathroom.

"Who the fuck was that?" Piper asks after the brunette removes her hand.

"Don't be mad."

"Well I am fucking mad, Alex. Who was it?"

"No, you don't get to be getting angry with me, Piper. I haven't done anything wrong."

"So you've slept with her," Piper says, trying to not sound as though the situation is affecting her.

"No."

"Wait, let me correct myself: you're _about_ to sleep with her."

"Jesus - do you really think that lowly of me?"

"Well you haven't exactly been approachable lately."

"Approachable?!" Alex shouts while shifting slightly so that her body is facing the blonde. "You're the one who told me to stay away, Piper, that put an end to whatever this is. You can't be giving me shit right now when you called the shots."

"That doesn't mean you get to rub it in my face, Alex."

"I didn't rub anything in your face, Piper! That woman - the one who works at the bar - is a mutual friend of mine, so she offered to give me a lift home because I walked here!"

"That doesn't mean you have to treat me differently, Alex."

"Oh yeah, because you're the _only_ human being with feelings on this planet."

"At least I'm dealing with this like a fucking mature adult, Alex, instead of lacking the decency to even make eye contact whenever we see each other!"

"Well maybe it's because I'm fucking falling for you, Piper."

Piper, dumbfounded by the brunette's answer, is silenced.

"And I'm sorry that I'm acting like this, but I can't help it. I can't handle going from where we were to just platonic when we technically shouldn't be either of those things. So, while you deal with it your way, I'll deal with it my way," Alex reveals as her tone of voice eventually lowers.

"Al - I didn't realise… I-"

"Well, now you do realise."

Seeing the blonde looking sincerely into her green orbs, Alex can't quite predict what is going to happen next.

"You confuse me, Piper Chapman."

"You confuse me too."

"I guess that's one thing we're on the same page about," the brunette confirms, sniffling her nose while chuckling, trying to cover the current pain she feels in not hearing the blonde return her honest sentiment.

"Are you okay getting home?" Piper asks as she watches the brunette stand up.

"Yeah, I'll walk," Alex replies, holding out a hand for the blonde to grab onto.

After hoisting herself up, Piper doesn't let go of the brunette's hand, instead pulling it around her waist as she fits her head into the crook of the older woman's neck, giving her a final hug.

"It's only a few more months."

"I know."

"From now on, we're professional. I'm the student. You're the teacher."

"Mh-mmm."

"Alex?"

"I thought I was the teacher, Piper. You have to stop calling me that."

"I'm falling for you too," the blonde admits, sharing her mutual developing feelings.

In hearing the blonde's reciprocation of her earlier admission, the brunette squeezes her tighter, memorising the moment that she'll be replaying over and over again in her head over the next few months.

Pulling back, Piper's close-lipped smile is mirrored as she opens the cubicle door.

"Take care, Piper."

"You too. Get home safely, Miss Vause."

The outcome of the evening - although something neither of them had expected - seemed somewhat encouraging. Despite knowing the next few months were going to carry bouts of neediness and temptation, all that mattered was that for the first time in a long time, both parties were doing the right thing.

* * *

 **I'm not sure how many chapters this will have, but I'm not really planning on writing a quasi-novel-like story...**


	11. Chapter 11

Soft music plays in the background, adding to the serene atmosphere the brunette had created for herself. She's had a relaxing first week off from work, but considering she had a lot of work to get through, she turned her home into a working environment, whereby, with lit lamps, candles, and soft music, she can focus on her task at hand.

She'd been sitting at her dining table for the past 2 hours marking students' essay projects - so far pleased with the answers she's reading. It isn't until the 2 and a half hour mark that she reaches Piper's essay - the 7 double-sided pages worth of writing she's been looking forward to reading in detail.

The blonde's chosen topic: _lust vs. love throughout literature_ , is not only a component that the brunette finds very interesting, but one posing levels of irony being the current situation that they had found themselves immersed in. Putting those thoughts aside, however, Alex reads the essay, taking in every word written by the talented writer.

By the end of her read, Alex is stunned. She knew Piper was good, but not _that good_. Flicking back through the stapled pages, she notices her red pen hadn't marked a single point of feedback, criticism or correction throughout the entirety of the essay. Feeling as though she needs to put _at least_ something, she flips back to the last page, before ticking the space below the last paragraph and adding with cursive writing: _Flawless, Piper._

The time, which now reads 11pm, indicates to the brunette that she should really put the rest of her work on pause to continue the next morning, and although a burning desire shoots throughout her being to contact the blonde - ask her further questions; let her know no changes need to be made, Alex relents, thinking back to what they had agreed upon: keeping things strictly professional until the end of the year.

Standing up from the table and pushing the chair back in, the raven-haired woman switches off the speaker, turns off the nearby lamps, and blows out the room's surrounding candles. Heading up the stairs and to her bedroom, she - for the first time in a long time - feels satisfied regarding some of the choices she'd made, only hoping that she manages to keep up her positive restraint.

* * *

"So have you told her yet?" Polly asks from where she's seated next to the blonde on her double bed.

"No. Not yet…"

"Pipes -"

"It's not like I have to, Pol. That kind of thing isn't _that_ important."

"Oh, but it is."

"That isn't really helping," Piper replies, letting out a sigh while lying backwards, head landing on one of the pillows. "What if this changes her mind about everything? About me?"

"Well from everything you've told me, I don't think that's going to happen. Why're you putting it of if you're worried about it, Pipes?"

"I want this to go well. I mean she's experienced in this field - in most fields, and me I'm… well I'm inexperienced with… everything."

"Now you're just being dramatic. Why don't you just go fuck in her office or something?" Polly asks casually, pulling out her buzzing phone.

"Have you not just listened to anything I've been saying?" the blonde counter-questions, rolling her eyes.

"Well, it looks like I have to leave," Polly digresses, showing Piper the screen of her phone showing 2 missed calls from her mom.

Standing from the bed, Piper grabs Polly's bag from her desk and hands it over.

"Look, Pipes, I mean it. She won't care about it. Just tell her," the brunette sincerely tells the taller blonde while pulling her into a hug.

"Thanks, Pol," Piper breathes out, feeling relieved to an extent in hearing her best friend's attempt at giving some reassurance.

"Let me know how it goes."

"Will do. Oh, and Polly," Piper calls out after they've walked out of her room - the brunette beginning her journey down the stairs. "Please don't mention this to anyone."

"I know I have a big mouth, Pipes, but not that big. You secret's safe with me," she concludes, before blowing the smiling blonde a kiss and opening the front door to drive home.

* * *

"Okay, everyone," Alex begins, shutting the classroom door to block out the noise from the corridor, "I spent an entire week of my free time marking these, so please read my comments and act on them if you want your grade to improve overall. I can't give you any more help on the topic, so you're on your own now," she adds, pausing at the front of the room, smiling at her students - observing that some look more worried than others.

Turning and picking up the pile of marked papers lying upside down on her desk, Alex proceeds to hand them out to their owners, not offering any form of verbal or emotional responsive indication when doing so.

"You can ask me any questions you have about feedback whether that's after a class or through an email. I will have to let you go early because I have a meeting, so look over your papers for 5 minutes, and then you're free to go."

The class remains silent after Alex stops speaking, and when she takes a seat at her desk, watching everyone read through her comments, she smiles to herself, feeling satisfied from that feeling she gets whenever she helps her students with their learning. A few minutes pass by, and a student from the second row raises their hand, catching the brunette's attention. She widens her eyes and nods her head, indicating for the person to ask their question.

"I've finished reading. Is it okay if I go now?" they ask - a student that, Alex notes, had a lot of corrections on their paper, _no wonder you want to leave_ , she thinks to herself.

"Sure. Just let me know if you have any questions about what I've written."

As soon as the brunette voices that confirmation, a flurry of students begin to put their things away and head for the door - perhaps having not read everything they were supposed to, but just wanting to grab the opportunity of class ending early with both hands.

"Is everything okay?" Alex asks when Piper approaches her desk - something she had expected, and identifies that other students are still in the room, influencing what she deems is and isn't appropriate to say to the younger blonde at this given moment in time.

"You didn't write anything on my paper," Piper states, waving the copy in her hand.

"I did. On the last page," Alex replies, nodding her head towards the moving sheets.

"Not anything constructive to work on."

"That's because there isn't anything you need to work on or change about it. The essay was word for word perfect, Piper."

"So I can just leave it like it is?"

"Yeah - I can guarantee you'd be getting full marks with work like that," Alex honestly points out, causing the blonde to blush, dipping her head as she grins.

"Thank you, Miss Vause."

"Enjoy the rest of your day, Piper. I'll see you in class tomorrow," the brunette replies, pleased that they managed to keep it civil and not divert to taboo topics when conversing.

"Actually, you won't," the blonde adds almost apologetically. "I have a college interview."

"Ah, for which one?" the brunette asks, knowing the blonde was indecisive about what to study.

"Smith."

"Nice choice. All the greats come of out that place."

"You'll have to give me all the details another time if it goes well."

"I'm sure it will. Although I'll still wish you luck," Alex says, smiling.

"Thanks," Piper returns the expression, before walking back to her desk to leave the room.

For the rest of her day the blonde has a spring in her step. Whether that was due to her recent academic successes or her recent exchange with Alex, she doesn't know, but what she does know is that taking control of what she wants for her future is a liberating feeling - one of which leaves her feeling more confident than ever.

* * *

Throughout the remaining months, the pair are both busy in different ways. With her final exams approaching, Piper hasn't taken her mind off getting the grades she needs to get into her desired college, and with all of her classes taking exams - as well as several meetings regarding her future job at Litchfield High, the brunette is equally stressed out.

They've barely spoken since the lesson in which Alex gave out the students' essays, and although they both have a long list of other things occupying their minds, they still share that same look whenever they see each other - whether that be a fleeting glance or a small hello in the corridor, it screams longing, yet in coming so far, they both know they can't give in, not when they're in touching distance from the final hurdle.

So as Alex stands at the front of her classroom delivering some tips to her senior class for the final time, it dawns on her that it's the last time she will be teaching Piper Chapman. Despite everything that has happened between them since her stint as a trainee teacher began, the brunette can positively say that the blonde is the most talented writer she had come across - perhaps even better than herself, not that she would openly admit that easily. She's pleased that the blonde is planning her future so meticulously, and as she does so, the brunette can't help but ponder her own. Sure she has enjoyed working at Litchfield, but can't help but wonder if other opportunities are out there in terms of not only money, but experience.

As of recent, she had been given an offer to remain at Litchfield, and in being called to another meeting that's due to take place later in the week, Alex tries not to think about her career-based indecisiveness, instead focusing on her current job at hand.

After dismissing the class for the final time - wishing them luck for their exams and futures, the brunette receives several cards, thank yous and smiles as she watches her students leave. Piper, she notes, is one of the first to leave the room; trying hard to not think about the fact that the blonde wouldn't even look her way, Alex goes about her regular busy day.

Several hours later - now sitting in her office during the after school hours, the brunette's computer makes a noise, indicating that she has a new email. Putting her pen down from which she was using to jot down some notes, she moves her hand to the mouse, scrolling up the page from where she was using a different email as reference, and sees a new message in her inbox from Piper Chapman.

From: piperchapman-lfhigh

Subject: Thank You

 _Dear Miss Vause,_

 _I was in a rush after class today so didn't get to thank you in person._

 _Over the course of these last 2 years, I feel as though my ability and understanding has improved for the better, and I have you to thank. You encouraged me to challenge myself and believed in me when no one else had done so before - it's proven to have made me a better person in more ways than one._

 _Thank you for everything and good luck with the remainder of your year._

 _Best wishes,_

 _Piper Chapman._

Alex sits back in her chair, letting out an emotional huff, as her eyes begin to water at what she had just read. Of course hearing that level of sentiment regarding how well you've done your job is touching, but what the brunette really cares about is the person in which it came from. Yes, herself and Piper have had more of an unorthodox relationship over the course of the current 2 year period, but Alex - although never admitting this aloud - wanted to impress the blonde, show off her knowledge, and in hearing the impact she has made on the blonde by just doing what she's paid to do, makes it all worthwhile.

To: piperchapman-lfhigh

Subject: No, _thank you_.

 _Dear Piper,_

 _Thank you for your very kind words - I really do appreciate hearing that my teaching has played such a positive part in your life and personal development. While I understand I have some of a role to play in my students' knowledge acquisition, I can't take credit when it comes to you. You, Piper Chapman, are an exception to every rule written in this instance, and it's been an absolute pleasure having you in my classroom for as long as I have._

 _I hope you get the results you deserve and go on to continue with your academic successes._

 _Take care,_

 _Miss Vause._

Pleased with her response, Alex clicks send, only hoping that the blonde understands the underlying meaning of her message.


	12. Chapter 12

**Not too sure how accurate the schooling element is when it comes to the American education system in this chapter, so I'm just basing this roughly off my own experiences - apologies if it isn't.**

* * *

Walking briskly towards her locker, Piper can't wipe the smile from her face having just finished her last exam. Opening the metal door, she takes out the two textbooks inhabiting the space, puts them into her bag, and locks the door again. She needed to rush home to get ready for this evening's graduation ceremony, and being that she knows Alex will be there, she wants to look her best for the older woman.

By the time she gets home, Piper showers - making sure she's well shaved in all the appropriate areas, straightens her hair, and then gets dressed.

"Piper are you ready? We're going to be late if we don't leave now," the blonde hears her mother shouting from downstairs.

"Coming, Mom," she shouts back, while giving herself a final once over and grabbing her clutch bag.

The event, the blonde notes upon arrival, is rather pointless, but it's an excuse for students to try and take advantage of the open bar that's supposedly for parents and guests aged over 21. It begins as a form of social event, whereby students are taking pictures with one another while parents take the occasion to catch up and gossip with one another - mostly acting as though they'd keep up their fake friendships despite the fact that their children will no longer be going to school with one another.

Standing with her own set of friends waiting to be called into the main hall for the small ceremony, Piper can't help but scan the room every so often, checking to see if Alex has arrived. After being nudged by Polly - who raises her eyebrows, knowing why the blonde is spacing out every so often, Piper shuffles on the spot, trying to fight off her smile as she feels a slight blush adorning her cheeks.

It's another 5 minutes before the blonde finds herself eyeing the room's opening, and as she does so, her breathing rate increases and her heart thumps in her chest as she watches Alex enter, smiling as she talks politely to the people standing on the doors. As ever, the brunette looks stunning, and given the fitted dress, blazer and heels she's adorning - matched with her flowing hair and black flames, Piper can't look away, and when the brunette finally - in what feels like a lifetime - looks her way, she performs a tight-lipped smile before her attention is grabbed by someone greeting her.

Not wanting to get too caught up in looking at the older woman, Piper heads to the restroom with Polly before seeking where her parents are. She spots them in the corner, both drink in hand, and as she begins her approach, her best friend grabs her arm, pulling her back gently.

"Are you sure you want to go over there?" she asks, looking concerned.

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Your parents - they're talking to your wife."

"No they're not," Piper says, angling her head around the crowd of people to get a clearer view. When she sees that Polly is indeed correct, she panics, wondering what they could possibly be talking about. "Shit they are."

"Why don't we go and see when we'll be going in. I'm sure they'll walk with my parents," Polly tries to reassure having seen the sudden flash of worry and anxiety cover the blonde's face.

"Yeah, you're right," Piper replies, starting to walk with her best friend. "And she isn't my wife."

* * *

Turning off the ignition having parked, Alex leans to pick up her things from the passenger seat and gets out the car. The graduation evening isn't exactly something she's looking forward to sitting through, but apart from the fact that it's compulsory for all staff to attend, it helps keep her mind off the piles of work at home that she still needs to get done. Putting on her blazer while she walks into the main school building and up a staircase - careful when going up the stairs in her black heels, Alex is greeted by two staff members standing on the door, letting her know that the wait shouldn't be too long and that the bar is open all evening. After saying her thanks, Alex looks across the room and her eyes immediately fall on Piper, who is staring at her intently, hiding behind a glass - one of which the brunette guesses isn't just filled with water.

Just as she's about to try and find some of her colleagues, a hand taps her shoulder, and upon turning to see who it belongs to, Alex is faced by a man in which looks familiar; a man who she thinks is Piper's father.

"Miss Vause - sorry I'm Bill Chapman, Piper Chapman's father," the grey-haired man begins, obviously feeling apologetic in approaching the brunette.

"Mr Chapman - hi," Alex begins, smiling at the older man and shaking the hand that he had held out. "What can I do for you?"

"I just wanted to apologise for my wife a few months ago. She has a habit of being rather… well, intrusive when it comes to other people's business."

"Oh, don't worry about it. At least she's aware of the lack of money I make in this profession," Alex replies, chuckling out of self-pity.

"While my wife isn't here, I feel as though I should thank you for everything with Piper this year. She's been set on doing English at college, but I think you were the push she really needed to go for it," he says, leaving Alex momentarily speechless - and partially worried by his reference of ' _everything_ '.

Clearing her throat, she responds to the older man: "Mr Chapman, it's been a pleasure teaching your daughter. It would have been a real shame if she hadn't have pursued the subject. Has she heard anything back from any colleges yet?" she goes on to ask, genuinely curious due to the limited contact she'd recently had with the blonde.

"She originally wanted to go to NYU - ever since she was little, but for some reason she recently changed her mind to Smith. Of course she applied for others, but those are the only ones she really cares to mention," Bill says, chuckling at the thought of the dramatic lectures his daughter delivers at dinner about how she wants to go to a particular college and why.

Alex, in hearing about Piper's sudden change of heart, can't help but think she perhaps influenced the blonde's decision, being that she had shared with the younger woman that she herself had been to Smith for her studies.

"So have they given her offers?"

"She's had plenty, but Smith seems like the choice for her. Well, depending on her grades," Bill adds, laughing, despite the both of them knowing that isn't going to be a problem.

Not wanting to seem as though she's being too eager, the brunette wants to find out what Piper's mother thinks of the entire situation - whether the situation is perhaps therefore affecting Piper negatively.

"Does everyone at home think she's doing the right thing?"

"I just want her to do what makes her happy, but Carol more so otherwise…" he trails off, raising his eyebrows, letting Alex fill in the rest of the sentence in her head.

Before the conversation can continue, Piper's mother approaches, giving off what Alex can only guess is a fake smile. Although she feels less content in the older woman's company, the brunette feels as though she needs to impress Carol Chapman - not that the woman would know her intentions behind doing so anyway. The task proved harder than she thought - being that Carol seemed disinterested by whatever herself and Bill were talking about; Alex couldn't help but feel judged by Piper's mother. Her gaze makes the brunette feel uncomfortable, and despite not saying a word, Alex feels as though the older woman is judging her based on something, yet she isn't quite sure what that something is.

Thankful that the people throughout the room are starting to head into the main hall, Alex says her goodbyes to Piper's parents and heads to her seat. She notices many eyes scanning her as she walks by, yet not the ones she's looking for; and although she's internally chuckling at the surprise on many of the student's faces at her attire, Alex keeps her composure, telling herself that it's not worth voicing that staring is a rude trait to have.

The ceremony had reached it stage in which students were receiving prizes for various reasons, and Alex - for the second time that evening - found herself in awe over Piper Chapman. In hearing the blonde's name being announced for the English award - something she herself had put the blonde up for but didn't know the vote's outcome, Alex straightened in her seat, eager to watch the younger woman's presence grace the stage.

The blonde's mid-length silver dress was tightly fitted to her body with a slit down the side which, along with her matching stilettos, accentuated her toned thigh and calf muscles. Alex has to tear her eyes away - not wanting to get caught while obviously checking the blonde out, while also not wanting to cave into the thoughts of said legs wrapped around her waist under less orthodox of circumstances. The brunette watches Piper accept the award and then walk off to the side so the ceremony can swiftly continue while she has her picture taken. When standing in position, blue eyes meet her own green orbs, and as they stare at one another - no emotion evident, Alex watches the blonde shake her head out of its trance and turn to the photographer. She can just about make out a 'sorry, pardon?' come from the blonde's mouth, and smirks to herself at Piper's politeness despite what she was just doing. Not wanting to run the chances of getting caught staring, Alex turns away, focusing on what one of her colleagues with the microphone at the front is saying.

When the ceremony eventually finishes, the open bar is still running, and although students are mostly 18 bar some exceptions - Piper included, it's obvious that they're making the most of the free availability of alcohol. Being that it's ran by students volunteering from the year below the blonde, no one is really putting a stop to the underage serving; people are turning a blind eye towards it, and Alex for one won't be the one to spoil the students' fun.

The room is fairly packed - mostly filled with students being that a large number of parents had left already, and Alex finds herself conversing with two of her English colleagues: David - her boss, who she learns is retiring at the end of the academic year, and Natalie - the woman who attended the theatre trip with her months prior. The conversation is pleasant and Alex finds herself enjoying their company, yet her focus wavers when she feels her phone vibrate in her blazer pocket for the third time in the last minute - something she was avoiding to check, knowing it's probably Nicky giving her shit for having to be at a school event on a Friday evening.

When her companions are busy talking, the brunette reaches into her pocket and takes out her phone; she just about manages to not drop the champagne glass that she's holding in her left hand in seeing what's on her screen, while ensuring that no one around her could see its contents as she locks it and turns her head in a circle.

 _Piper: I haven't had the chance to thank you for the award yet, but when you're ready, I'm waiting._

 _Piper: It seems like you're having a good time over there, Al. I have to admit I don't like that woman you're with and how she's looking at you._

 _Piper: I've waited so long to have you, Alex; no bitch is getting in the way of that. I keep thinking back to that night from when we were on my sofa, how it felt when you fell on top of me and our hips touched._

Alex briefly shuts her eyes, clenches her jaw, and tightens her grip on the device. She's feeling majorly turned on having read the blonde's words, yet knows she can't act on what she's feeling - not now. Her phone vibrates one more time in her hand, and despite knowing the high risk she's taking, she peaks at the message that's flashed up on her screen.

 _Piper: I can see you reading my messages. What's the matter: cat got your tongue? Wait, no you need fingers to type. Pussy got your fingers?_

Despite her increasing levels of arousal, Alex chuckles to herself at the blonde's clever word play, and although she'd love nothing more than do such things with Piper, it's rather obvious that her daring messages are due to her alcohol consumption. The brunette finds more and more things she likes about the blonde everyday, yet despite her state of enhibritation, she's learnt to appreciate how excellent English skills mixed with dirty text messages are quite the powerful combination.

Placing her phone back into her pocket, Alex finally scans the room to look for the mastermind behind her sudden change in emotions, and in finally spotting Piper with a group of her friends in the crowd, she - yet again - can't catch herself staring for too long. The blonde - in all her glory - is standing there, glass in hand, staring at the brunette with shimmering blue eyes as her perfect top row of teeth bite down on her lower lip.

Alex shifts her body to the side, finishes the rest of her drink, and excuses herself from her colleagues, announcing that she's going to head home. Of course that isn't her intention, but in knowing Piper has her eyes glued on her movements, she heads for the set of double doors that leads to classrooms. It isn't long until Alex is alone down a dark corridor having gone up a set of stairs to reach the floor where her own classroom and office are located. In hearing footsteps rushing up the stairs, she stops and hides in a gap between the lockers and another room, not knowing who the other person is. When she sees a shimmering silver dress and a head of blonde hair walking past slowly, she knows her plan had worked.

Holding out her arm, she grabs the blonde's wrist, who turns her head in surprise, before smiling at seeing the brunette.

"Alex," she breathes out, her shoulders relaxing.

The brunette doesn't reply, instead stepping out from her hiding place and dragging the blonde by her hand to her office. She unlocks her door - not breaking their hand connection - and guides the blonde in, before joining her in the room and locking the door, which can't be seen through due to the paper covering its small, streamline window. Still not saying a word, Alex turns back to the blonde and - without thinking - cups her cheeks, pulling Piper's face to her own and connecting their lips.

Both women moan at the contact that they'd been desperately craving for months - months that felt like an eternity, and as the kiss started to get heated, Alex felt her self-control begin to quickly dissipate. Moving her hands down to Piper's ass, Alex picks the blonde up and sits her on top of her - relatively empty - desk, pushing her hands under her dress while doing so. She groans into the kiss in feeling the barely-there skimpy thong Piper was wearing, and when she feels two hands grab her breasts, she rips away from the kiss, fusing their foreheads together.

"God, Alex. Why'd you stop."

"Because you're drunk, Pipes," she whispers, trying to control her breathing. "Our first time can't be like that."

"Just keep going."

"Pipes, I didn't intend for more than a make out," Alex says, yet her voice breaks at the feeling of the blonde's lips attacking her neck, to which she then groans while tilting her head back at the feeling of teeth gently grazing her skin, helping soft lips make their mark.

"Alex, I've been dreaming about you," Piper admits into the older woman's skin. "About doing this, right on your desk. Sometimes in your classroom."

"Jesus, that's hot," Alex replies, pulling the blonde's head back to plunge her tongue into her mouth as she guides her body to lie down and cover the length of the desk.

"If you could handle your drink better, then maybe that would have been on the cards."

"I can handle my drink," Piper tries to argue, yet feels a sudden have of nausea come over her. She pushes Alex off her and rushes to the window, pushing it up as she lets her body's reactions take over.

Alex smirks to herself yet helps the younger woman, holding back her hair and giving her some water to rinse her mouth out once she's done emptying her stomach.

"Role reversal," Alex points out, yet the blonde doesn't seem too thrilled by the comment. "Okay, I think you need to go home. I'll call you an Uber."

"No, Alex. I'm fine."

"Piper - you just threw up out my office window. You are not fine."

Grabbing her things and the blonde by the hand, Alex leads them out the office - ensuring it's locked, while trying to make sure the blonde makes it down the stairs safely as she orders an Uber from her phone.

"What's your address?"

"Hmm?"

"Your address. Where do you live?"

"You know where I live. We nearly fucked on the sofa," Piper drunkenly brushes off, draping herself over the older woman, who, despite having done what she did in her office, can't let them be seen in the position they're currently in.

Reaching the bottom of the staircase, they walk to the entrance where - by luck - Polly is standing on her own while holding a phone to her ear.

"Piper! Where the fuck have you been? I've been calling you," she exclaims, having been waiting for the blonde.

"On Al… Miss Vause's de-" she recklessly begins, before Alex intervenes.

"Okay! Polly, do you know Piper's address so I can order her an Uber? She's a little worse for wear."

After being told where the blonde lives - not knowing the details herself: only having a visual image, Alex orders the car, praying Piper doesn't open her mouth during the 3 minutes they have to wait.

Thankfully, she doesn't say anything, and when the car arrives, Alex instructs Polly to go with the blonde, being that she didn't really drink so can drive home.

"Make sure she gets home safely," she adds, holding the open door as Polly takes a seat next to her best friend.

"Where you going?" Piper asks the older woman.

"Home, Piper. Like you," she starts to say while closing the door. "I hope your head's good in the morning."

Putting her thumb up at the driver, Alex watches the car drive off, smiling to herself as she walks over to where she parked her car.

When approaching the vehicle, she heads for the boot, and in hearing a squelch under her foot mixed with the lack of lighting, she stops. Taking out her phone and turning the torch on, the brunette lets out a huff in seeing what she had stepped in.

Highering up the torch so that it shines on her car, Alex curses further as she sees that where she had parked happened to coincidently be a space under her office window, whereby the back and roof of her car is now covered in the alcohol-induced vomit from the one and only Piper Chapman.

"Fuck."


	13. Chapter 13

**Double update - check Chapter 12 if you haven't done so already...**

 **Let me know what you think - enjoy!**

* * *

 _Where the fuck am I?_ Piper thinks as she opens her eyes, confused having woken up in an unfamiliar room. Looking to the other side of the bed from where she's currently lying on her back, the blonde sees the space next to her occupied by a person lying with their back to her - covers pulled up to their neck, displaying a head of long, dark tresses.

In seeing the dark hair, Piper feels her stomach flutter at the prospects of who it could be, and in not remembering how she got into the bed she's currently in - as well as the room's relatively poor lighting, she assumes it's Alex. Shuffling closer to the bed's other occupant, Piper lines her body up against theirs and wraps her left arm around their stomach. In placing her nose into their hair, rummaging slightly to smell their neck, her body freezes. It's in this moment that Piper realises she'd fucked up; the person she was spooning in an unknown bed wasn't Alex, instead her best friend, Polly, which she gathered from the smell of the distinct perfume she wears everyday religiously.

Before she can move away, however, the blonde's hand is grabbed and pushed away by the owner of the now turning body.

"What the fuck, Piper?" Polly shouts, having caught Piper spooning her.

"Polly - I didn't mean… I didn't think it was you."

"Who else would it… you thought I was Alex?!" Polly asks, propping herself up on her elbow.

"No. Of course not."

"Pipes - what's going on between you two?" the brunette asks, tilting her head and smirking at the blonde.

"I really like her," Piper admits, smiling and rolling over, planting her face into her pillow.

"But she's your teacher."

"She was my teacher. Now she isn't."

"So, what happened in her office?"

"How do you know I was in her off-"

"Pipes - you were telling me last night about what you were doing in her office."

"Shit," Piper groans into her pillow, having flashes of the prior evening popping into her head.

"The marks on her neck were a major give away though," Polly quietly whispers.

"Okay! I get it!" Piper says while joining in with her best friend's laughter. "Where are we?" Piper asks, still not knowing where she is.

"Oh, this is our guest room," Polly begins, "my Dad switched which room he wanted as his office. I told your parents you were staying over last night by the way."

"God, Polly, you're the best," Piper breathes out, relieved.

"I'm going to go make some coffee. Want anything?" Polly asks, getting out of the bed.

"I'll just take a cup, please," Piper replies, rolling over to the nightstand to check her phone as she hears the door close shut.

Scrolling through her text messages from the night before, she chuckles at the text Polly had obviously sent to Alex from her phone letting her know they were safely back at her house. In seeing the older brunette's thanks in response, her heart flutters, however, when she reads the messages she had sent earlier that evening, Piper feels her lower regions clench, causing her to relive through what had finally begun to advance between herself and Alex in her head.

When Polly returns, Piper has one burning question.

"Pol – how did we get to your house?"

"We walked."

"What? Why?"

"Well, Alex ordered you an Uber to your home, but you didn't have your keys and your family weren't home. We then walked here – actually, it was more like I walked while dragging you along with me."

"Sorry, Pol."

"You're so screwed, Piper."

"I know," the blonde agrees, adjusting the handle of her coffee cup in her hand. "I know."

* * *

Several hours later, lying in bed watching Netflix on her laptop, Piper can't stop checking her phone. She had sent the brunette a text half an hour ago - apologising for her actions the night before, and is eager to hear back from the older woman. Telling herself that she's being patient would be a lie, however, when a message does appear on her screen - one of which she can't see the full contents of due to its length, the blonde can't bring herself to open it - not wanting Alex to get the impression that she had been waiting by her phone for a response, despite that technically being the truth.

2 minutes later, eventually moving to open the message, Piper smiles to herself at the imagery the brunette's reply had conjured, then further laughs when she sees the three dots continually appear on the screen as Alex continues to type.

 _Alex: While I'm glad you're okay, you don't have to apologise to me, Piper. Well, while I was pretty pissed that I stepped in your vomit - being that you threw up out my office window and the target happened to be the roof of my car, I'm glad it was yours._

 _Alex: That came out wrong. I am definitely not into that._

 _Alex: However, I must say that I enjoyed spending my evening with you, although it was shorter than I would have hoped._

Piper, pleased that Alex wasn't holding the projectile response of her bile production against her, types back her response.

 _Piper: Oh my gosh, Alex, I'm so sorry. I didn't realise I was even throwing up over a car park!_

 _Piper: I can say the feeling's mutual. I had fun (although throwing up isn't a highlight I particularly want to remember)._

While waiting for her response from the brunette, Piper's phone rings, indicating she's being FaceTimed.

"Hello," the blonde greets with a smile in seeing Alex appear on the screen - skin clear of makeup, hair tied into a messy bun, and black-framed glasses shaping her face.

"Hey," Alex responds, giving a toothy smile down the camera.

"To what do I owe this pleasure, Miss Vause?"

"Well, considering I'm no longer your teacher, I wanted to ask you something, and I also wanted to see your face when I asked."

"Mm-hmm… and what would that be?" Piper prompted, having an inkling she knows what path the brunette is heading down.

"I wanted to know if you'd let me take you out next weekend?"

"Like a date?" Piper asks, biting her lower lip.

"Yes, like a date," Alex leaves hanging, still awaiting the blonde's response. "So?" she additionally questions almost desperately, given the blonde's lack of response as she just smiles into the camera.

"I'd love to go on a date with you next weekend, Alex. I've been waiting all year to do so."

"Okay - no need to hate me for my lack of timing; don't hate the player, hate the game," the brunette jokes, making it clear to the blonde that she also feels the same way.

"You could have just text me that, Al."

"Yeah, but I told you I wanted to see your face."

"Then why don't you come see it in person?" Piper asks, craving Alex's company in the flesh, given the short amount of time they had spent together the evening before.

"As much as I want to, I can't. I have a lot of work to be doing considering I still have classes to teach in case you've forgotten about that. What're you gonna do with all your time off?"

"I haven't really planned that far ahead yet. Probably just relaxing, maybe going on some trips. That kind of thing."

"Noted."

"What does that mean?"

"It means I have time to do some planning."

"Come on, Al, you can't say stuff like that and not expand on it."

"Oh, but I can," Alex says, faking an evil laugh.

"It's nice to finally hear your voice when it's not talking about finals and assessments," Piper comments, staring into the camera sincerely.

"I get the feeling. It's nice just hearing your voice."

"I think I just threw up in my mouth a little," Piper says, pretending to gag.

"What? Too cheesy?"

"Just a little."

"Well, a positive we can take from it is that you didn't throw up on my car again. Well done for keeping it in your mouth."

"That's what she said," Piper jokes, to which they both laugh at the comical timing.

"I should really get going, Pipes. I have some shit to be getting done."

"Yeah, same here - I'm visiting some family this week with my parents, so I should really start to pack."

"Sounds fun. As long as you're back by Saturday though."

"Oh, I'll be here alright… and I might even have the house to myself for the entire weekend."

"Really now?" Alex asks, smirking as she quirks her eyebrows.

"Mh-mmm, but I won't bore you with talking about it for much longer," Piper says, smiling at Alex's sigh, both knowing the ways in which such a topic of conversation could lead. "Enjoy working."

"Thanks. Enjoy doing whatever hungover Pipers do on Saturday evenings. Talk soon."

"Yeah, talk soon," Piper affirms, waving back at Alex as they say goodbye to one another down the camera, before placing her phone down onto the bed.

Under different circumstances several months ago, the blonde cried up at her bedroom ceiling having spoken over the phone to the brunette, however, she currently finds herself smiling into the same ceiling after their recent encounter; Piper Chapman was going on a date with Alex Vause.


	14. Chapter 14

**I hope everyone had a good Christmas! Here's my late present...**

* * *

The sound of a text message - one indicating arrival - drags Piper away from her thoughts, as she rushes down her staircase - shouting goodbye to Cal, gives herself a last once-over in the mirror, and opens the front door. Parked slightly down the road from her house, she registers Alex's white BMW, to which the older woman is sitting at the wheel, giving a timid-looking wave when their eyes meet. They had agreed that Alex wouldn't come to her door being that her brother was home, but considering he wouldn't be around along with her parents for the entire weekend, the possibility of going inside after their date - Piper hoped - was likely.

"Hi," Piper says as she enters the brunette's car, smiling when the older woman places a hand on her knee, squeezing the skin exposed by her skirt.

"Hey. You look amazing," Alex admits, scanning the blonde's body.

"So do you," the blonde replies, placing her hand over the brunette's as she begins to drive out of the empty street. "So are you going to tell me where we're going?"

"Not yet, but it's somewhere we definitely don't have to worry about being seen together."

The pair drive for just over an hour from where they began in Brooklyn, in which Alex eventually pulls the car into the driveway of a beach house - one of which looks ridiculously expensive even according to the blonde's eye.

"Alex - where the hell are we?"

"Long Beach, New York."

"I gathered that, but why are we on the driveway of a house? Wait is this your house?!"

"Well, it's my summer house… kind of. I gained some inheritance money when my aunt died and saved some money when doing my Masters. My Mom knew the couple selling it, so they gave me a discounted price."

"Holy shit," Piper voices, staring in awe at the beach house that not only is down a beautifully private road, but looks modern with its glass renovations and green grass.

"But the main thing is that I can now do this," Alex says, leaning over as she grips Piper's chin, pulling her into a kiss, which soon turns passionate, but before it can escalate further, the brunette pulls away, biting down on the blonde's bottom lip. "Ready?" she asks, smiling.

"Um… yeah," Piper muffles out, startled by the abrupt change in mood.

Alex gets out the car first, moving around the front to open Piper's door, and they walk hand in hand to the front door, where the brunette fishes out the keys from the pocket of her jeans to unlock the house.

Piper, having walked into the front hallway, is in stunned by the interior of the brunette's beach house. It's modern - very modern, and she guesses that whatever work had been carried out on the place wasn't exactly cheap. The open planned kitchen has dark marble surfaces contrasting with the white counter and cabinets, along with large glass windows giving off a perfect view of the beach which is currently empty considering it's early morning.

"I wouldn't get too caught up with the house because we have a schedule to be ticking to. Tour later," Alex says, laughing at the younger girl's expression as she stares out at the view.

"We better," the blonde replies while turning around.

"Anything for you, kid," Alex assures, delivering a peck on Piper's lips before heading to the fridge, confirming that everything is in check as planned.

* * *

"You're not cold, are you?" Alex asks from where they're seated on a blanket at the beach, breaking the flow of their debate about where the sun rises from and why. "I can try and make a fire."

"You can't just make a fire on a public beach, Alex."

"This section happens to be private, so I can do whatever the hell I like," the brunette replies smugly.

"In that case, sure. A fire sounds great."

Rummaging through one of the bags she had brought with her, Alex gets out a lighter, yet curses under her breath as she continues to search with increasing roughness.

"What?" Piper asks.

"I forgot to pack some wood."

"How can you forget to pack wood for a fire?" the blonde adds while laughing.

"I was in a rush, okay. I'll just head in and grab some - back in a sec," Alex voices as she gets up from the blanket, walks the short distance to the back of her house, and heads inside.

Piper, meanwhile, takes in the view while thinking over how their afternoon had panned out so far since their morning arrival at the brunette's beach house. They'd made lunch with the supplies Alex had in the house, and then headed to the beach where they ate and spoke about whatever topics they deemed important. It had been a perfect afternoon so far, and the blonde can only hope that it continues to progress on the up.

"Do you need some help there?" Piper asks, turning her head to see Alex trying to carry a pile of wood while not falling over.

"No - I've got it," Alex says with an obvious strain in her voice - one of which highlighting her levels of concentration and the pressure of not dropping everything in her hands. "Nailed it," she exclaims when she reaches the small fire pit slightly to the right of their blanket, dropping the wood down.

"You really have thought of everything," Piper comments, looking at the older woman in awe.

"Well, someone has to think outside of the box when preparing," the brunette replies, winking before kneeling down onto the sand to ignite the fire.

"Can I ask you a question?" Piper says once the fire is lit and - after much persuasion on the brunette's part - the blanket is moved closer to the flames, still providing them a face-forward view of the sea as they both lie down, propped up on an elbow.

"Of course."

"Why did you bring me here? I mean, I love the idea, but why for our first date?"

Alex, having not expected the question, hesitates for a few seconds, preparing how she's going to approach the subject.

"I thought we could do something that both of us have never done before - well, I'm just assuming it's something you've never done before. Make it memorable."

"You haven't done this with anyone before?"

"Can't say that I have," Alex replies sincerely. "The kinds of people I've dated before probably would have assumed that because I have a nice house, I have a lot of money to spend on them."

"Have you dated many people then?" Piper asks, not sure whether she's afraid of what the brunette's answer could or couldn't be.

"I've been on quite a few dates, but only been in two relationships. How about you?"

"I haven't really dated, but I have been in a relationship with a guy before. What happened with yours?"

"I was younger at the time and had no idea what I had to do to be categorised as a 'good girlfriend'," the brunette chuckles while using her fingers to imitate inverted commas. "I also walked in on one of them fucking someone else, so there's that."

"Oh… I'm sorry you went through that," Piper says sympathetically.

"No you're not," Alex replies, turning her body to the left while smiling at the younger girl.

"I am! No one should have to experience that… but, yes, I am glad that it means you aren't tied down and that we could be where we are right now," the blonde admits, given the quizzing look the brunette was scalding her for the truth with.

"Mm-hmm," Alex utters before leaning over the younger woman, connecting their lips.

Piper, moaning into the kiss, places her hands on the brunette's hips, pulling her closer so that her body is pressing down on her. They both know they can't get too carried away being that they're outside, yet the pair can't seem to keep their hands and mouths to themselves. When she feels Alex's hand run up the inside of her t-shirt, brushing along the skin of her stomach up to cup over her bra, warning lights go off in Piper's head, overwhelmed with what's happening.

In an attempt to move her body, the blonde bends her knees, yet quickly discovers that the manoeuvre did nothing to help her cause. A groan escapes Alex's throat at the feeling of their pelvises being pushed even further together, however when Piper leans to the right and places her hands on the older woman's shoulders, she flips them over so that she's now straddling Alex's stomach.

"I think we should stop before we get too carried away," Piper voices, breaking away from the kiss and sitting up, keeping her hands on the front of Alex's shoulders.

"No one can see us, Pipes," Alex says, fiddling with the hem of the blonde's t-shirt so she can rest her hands on the skin of her sides.

"I know, but the food will get cold," Piper tries to justify and begins to laugh as Alex removes her hands from her waist, throwing them above her head as though throwing a child-like strop.

"If that's that you want, Chapman," Alex eventually complies, sitting up as the blonde removes herself from her lap, leaning over to grab the basket of food.

Eventually - after persuading the brunette it was a necessity to do so, the pair attempt to make s'mores out of the makeshift ingredients Alex happened to have in her house before the darkness ensues. While basking in one another's company, the sun begins to set - something not only had the brunette planned for them to watch, but a sign that their time at the beach house was coming to an end.

"Had you planned this?" Piper asks as both of their eyes are glued to the setting sun.

"Might have done," Alex smugly replies, "I didn't want to give the game away earlier when you asked."

"I'm glad you didn't," Piper adds, turning her head to give the brunette a toothy smile.

By the time they leave the beach and drive back to the blonde's house, it's nearing 10pm. They had spent a few more hours inside the brunette's home watching films, until Alex expressed that she should take the blonde back home.

The pair sit outside Piper's house in Alex's car, while the sound of the brunette turning off the ignition brings silence to their surroundings.

"Seems as though your brother didn't turn on a light again," the older woman says, looking through the passenger's window to see no lights on in the empty house.

"That little shit," Piper mutters under her breath. "I did tell him to."

"Don't worry - I believe you," Alex laughs while turning to open the handle on her car door.

"Stay with me," Piper says, placing her hand over the brunette's, stopping her from opening the door.

"In the car? Pipes, that isn't exactly ideal," Alex answers, frowning slightly at the suggestion.

"No. Stay with me as in stay over for the night," the blonde elaborates, jutting her head towards her house. "No one's in until tomorrow afternoon."

"Are you sure? I don't want to impose."

"You aren't imposing on anything, Alex. I'd only just be in my room doing nothing anyway."

"If you insist," Alex answers, smiling as the blonde grabs her face and delivers a peck to her lips before opening her car door and getting out.

Alex had been inside the Chapman household before, but never up to the first floor. They pass through the living room - smiling at what had happened the last time they were alone in the room together, and through into the kitchen.

"Drink?"

"I'll have whatever you're having," Alex responds while running her fingers along the side counter, having not been able to explore the room the last time due to her impromptu hiding from the blonde's brother.

"Water it is then," Piper says, getting two glasses out of the cupboard and heading to the tap to fill them up. "Shall we take these upstairs?"

"You did promise me a full house tour one of these days," Alex replies, taking a sip from the glass of water that was handed over to her.

Walking up the staircase, Alex scans her surroundings. The walls, she notices, are sporadically displayed with family pictures - mostly showing a tall, sharp looking young man who she assumes is Piper's older brother, Danny - someone who she had spoken about very briefly.

"It's a bit messy, but I didn't have time to clean things up," Piper voices as they enter her room at the end of the long corridor, where she then lets the brunette in and closes the door behind them.

The room, which is painted a light shade of blue, is smartly decorated with a very mature look to it. It's double bed fits well into its large size, in which a desk and large wardrobe also make suited additions. The open door to the left of the bed, she guesses, is the entrance to the blonde's en-suite - something she envisions is also just as luxurious as the bedroom she's standing in.

"It's a lot cleaner than mine," Alex finally replies, "and a lot more adult looking, that's for sure."

"That's something I highly doubt," Piper adds, walking around to the other side of the bed, putting down her glass of water, and picking up the remote to her television. "Netflix?"

"Are you choosing the film or am I?"

"As long as it isn't a horror, you can pick, Al."

"Mood killer," Alex says, copying the blonde in placing down her water as she moves to the empty side of the bed, propping up a pillow and lying down next to the blonde.

Throughout the course of the film, the pair can't keep their hands off one another, whereby it reaches the point where they're eventually more invested in one another than they are the film. By the time the film nears its end, Piper is - for the second time that day - straddling the brunette's hips as their lips are fused passionately.

Alex's experienced hands grip at the end of the blonde's t-shirt, pulling the white item over her head, before her green eyes take in the sight of the younger woman in her black, laced bra. She runs her hands along the blonde's sides, using her thumbs to brush along her toned abdomen, before leaning forward to attach her lips to the blonde's neck, moving down her collarbone to her chest.

The brunette's hands then land on the blonde's thighs, whereby they start to run under Piper's skirt, gripping her inner thighs carefully.

The blonde, feeling exposed, grabs at Alex's own t-shirt, pulling it off her body, to which wandering hands remove themselves from the blonde's thighs, before diverting to the zip at the side of her skirt.

Piper, despite fixating her eyes on the brunette's chest, feels the tugging at her zip, and when looking down into the green eyes boring into her own, she sees them asking for consent. Without providing a verbal response, the blonde lifts her hips, making it easier for the skirt to be removed, and when it finally is, she lets out a moan at the feeling of her underwear and bare thighs making contact with the older woman's exposed stomach.

Piper, wanting to voice what she's thinking, leans back down to push her lips against Alex's, planning what to do next. However, when she feels two hands snake along her back, pulling at the back of her bra, she rips her lips away from Alex's, placing her hands on her shoulders.

"Wait," the blonde huffs out through heavy breaths.

"Are you okay? Did I do something wrong?" Alex asks, suddenly panicked by the blonde's tone of voice.

"No. It's just... I haven't- "

"Slept with a woman before?"

"Slept with anyone before," Piper finally admits, feeling her cheeks blush under the brunette's gaze.

"Why didn't you say something before?"

"I didn't want you to run away because I'm not as experienced as you."

"Pipes," Alex begins, shifting so that she's sitting more upright against the headboard, "that kind of thing doesn't phase me. We can wait for as long as you want."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better, Alex."

"I mean it, Piper," the brunette replies, grabbing the younger woman's hands, "I don't care about how experienced you are, just as long as you're comfortable around me and comfortable with whatever we're doing. Okay?"

"Okay," Piper agrees while ducking her head from Alex's gaze, trying to hide her sheepish smile.

"You want to head to sleep? It looks like we missed the movie," Alex points out, looking towards the television screen that's showing the film's end credits.

"If that's okay with you?"

"It's more than okay with me," Alex sincerely replies, smiling. "Do you have a t-shirt or something I can wear?"

"I should do," Piper says, before getting up and heading towards her nearby chest of drawers.

Alex, meanwhile, can't take her eyes away from the blonde's form. Being that the younger woman is only in her bra and underwear, the sight is doing nothing but add to the skyrocketing levels of arousal the brunette is currently battling, yet, in wanting to wait until Piper is ready, Alex chooses to act with her head and not her raging hormones.

"This should fit," Piper says while throwing an old oversized football t-shirt at the brunette, laughing at having caught the older woman staring at her ass.

They both change into the tops - Alex also changing out of her trousers - and get under the duvet. Piper leans over to turn off the television and side lamp, leaving the pair in complete darkness.

"I had a wonderful day with you, Al," Piper admits, looking at the woman next to her from where they're both lying on their backs.

"So did I. I'd love to do it again with you sometime soon."

"I'd love that too," Piper agrees before shuffling closer. "Thank you for understanding," she adds - Alex immediately knowing what she's referring to.

"I'll wait as long as you want me to, Piper; don't stress over it. When you're ready, you're ready. Just please don't keep walking around in just your underwear because I am a human being with hormones as well as eyes."

"I'll keep that in mind," Piper answers, leaning over to deliver a kiss onto Alex's lips before turning onto her left side to mould her body into her counterparts, who joins her in turning sideways. "Night Al," Piper breaks the silence while trying to battle a yawn.

"Goodnight, Pipes," the brunette responds, tightening the hold she has around the blonde's waist as they both begin to drift off into a contented sleep.


	15. Chapter 15

**Here's another present for you - this time in the style of a birthday one (yes, I'm currently writing this while it's** **nearing 3am on my birthday...)!**

 **I won't have the time for another update in 2018, so enjoy it while you can - I'll be back to see you all on the flip side in 2019!**

 **Let me know what you think!**

* * *

"You're acting as though I'm not coming back, Al," Piper says down the phone while laughing at the brunette's dramatics.

"Well while you're living a life of luxury on holiday, I'm stuck at home, so I do have the right to want you back," Alex replies defensively down the phone, which she has on speaker being that she's busy painting the walls of her guest room.

"How's it going?" Piper asks, knowing the older woman has been busying herself with her DIY housework project.

"I'm nearly halfway," Alex reveals, huffing as she stands back from the wall, looking up to assess her current situation.

"I have to go, Al," Piper says, sounding distracted by something going on in the background.

"That's okay. Have a good day, kid," Alex replies, trying her best to not sound jealous of the blonde.

"You too. Talk later," Piper concludes before the conversation ends.

Still standing in front of her near half-painted wall, Alex then hears her phone vibrate against the wooden surface it was resting on. Putting down the paint roller that was in her hand, she walks over to the device, seeing that she has a new text from Piper. Unlocking the device, her abdomen clenches at the sight, suddenly feeling even more jealous of the blonde's summertime adventures, as a message reading: ' _Here's something to keep you going, Al x_ ', followed by an attached picture of the younger woman in her bikini fills the screen.

The garment is dark blue in colour - not too skimpy, yet still reveals Piper's toned stomach, long legs, and tanned body. The picture was taken using the reflection of a full-body length mirror, meaning a head of bright blonde hair and the sight of whitened teeth biting down on a bottom lip are visible in the image. Saving the picture, Alex takes a deep breath, reminding herself that she only has a few more days to wait until their next date - something the blonde insisted on planning.

* * *

Lying down on a sunbed by the side of the empty pool, Piper's attention is dragged from where it was lost in a book as her mother begins to break the relatively comfortable silence.

"I saw that teacher of yours the other day when I was shopping," Carol voices from where she's lying down next to her daughter.

"Who?" Piper asks, hoping that her mother isn't talking about Alex.

"You know, the tall dark-haired woman? Glasses?"

 _Fuck_ , Piper thinks, not knowing how to approach the current subject at hand.

"Ohh, you saw Miss Vause. Where was that?"

"I happened to see her walking out of a store holding a book just like yours," Carol says, pointing towards the item in her daughter's hands.

"People buy books all the time, Mom," Piper replies, not wanting to reveal that the said book in question was a gift given to her post-graduation by the older brunette, to which a personal written message is inked onto the first page, all while trying to hold back a smile that matches her hammering heart at the image of Alex going out shopping to buy her a gift.

Carol doesn't add to the subject, instead choosing to digress to another, yet - unfortunately for Piper - her former teacher is still the main focus of the new topic.

"Your father was telling me how highly she thinks of you at graduation."

Looking over at her mother, Piper can't predict where the conversation is going being that the older woman's eyes are obstructed by the expensive pair of sunglasses resting on the bridge of her nose.

"What was she saying?"

"Oh, just the general thing about how excellent of a student you are," Carol says before sitting up and swivelling her body to the left, feet now resting on the floor as she faces her daughter. "What do you think of her?"

"Why are you bringing her up all of a sudden, Mom?" Piper asks, not feeling entirely comfortable with the possibilities that talking about Alex could bring about.

"Just wondering."

"Well I think she's very good at her job."

"Is that all?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Do you want anything?" Carol goes on to ask as she ignores the young blonde's question, stands up, and starts to walk inside their villa.

"No, thanks," Piper replies hesitantly, unsure as to why her mother was being somewhat nice to her, and definitely confused as to why she was suddenly quizzing her about Alex.

* * *

"And then she was asking me about you!" Piper animatedly explains down the phone as she walks along the beach barefoot while the rest of her family remain inside their house for the evening.

"Saying what?"

"Stuff about you and what I think of you."

"I hope all good things were said," the brunette comments loudly, causing the blonde to pull the phone away from her ear slightly, grimacing at the volume of the receiving voice.

"I can't guarantee that, Miss Vause," Piper teases, her intonation lowering.

"Don't talk like that," Alex scalds, giving the blonde an image of her green eyes rolling to the back of her head while flickering over slowly.

"Why not?" Piper flirts, aware of the effect she holds over the older woman.

"I'm with people."

"What people?"

"My friends."

"You have friends?" Piper gasps sarcastically, trying not to laugh.

"Fuck you. I have friends. I'm just standing outside the bar right now so I can talk to you and not be given shit for being 'antisocial'."

"That's no fun," Piper begins, feeling brave. "I had an idea for us."

"And what was that idea?"

"Something along the lines of talking over the phone but under more… _private_ pretenses."

"Pipes-" Alex tries to butt in, wishing she was alone in the comforts of her own home to be taking in this conversation.

"But I guess that'll have to happen some other time."

"No," Alex almost shouts down the phone. "I mean, no it still can happen tonight. I'll just go home early. Say I'm not feeling well."

"Al - spend time with your friends. I'm not going anywhere."

"But you are. I can't stop thinking about it now, and doubt I'll be able to stop later."

"Let me know what you're planning on doing, Al," Piper says, before concluding with a whisper, "and I'll make sure to keep you updated with mine."

Piper, now feeling smug at how she handled the situation, walks back into her house, saying goodnight to her family members, and heads to her room which happens to be the lone room on the top floor of the home's converted loft.

Tired from the day's activities, the blonde proceeds to get into bed and watch a film on her laptop - not wanting to sleep to see if she hears back from Alex anytime soon. Her plan, however, fails, as she soon is jolted awake by the movement of her laptop falling from her lap onto the floor, causing her to quickly assess its post-fall condition. In any other circumstance, the blonde would have welcomed the wake-up call, but considering the contents of her sleep-induced dreams, being disturbed left her in a state of agitation.

Vivid, detailed thought of Alex and the not so innocent things she had imagined them doing flooded her brain, and when she recalled the moment in which she had got to in her dream, Piper pushes her covers away and pulls down the shorts she had chosen to wear to bed.

She thinks back to what they had been doing; what had led up to the point in which Alex's head was between her legs while her own shaking hand ran through her long, dark hair. Despite having never slept with anyone entirely, Piper wasn't a stranger to the workings of her own body and what she needed to do to get herself going; from imagining her hands belonged to the older brunette - moving across her sweaty skin as dreamt, the blonde felt as though she was missing that something that would fully tip her over the edge she had been teetering over both physically and mentally.

Grabbing her phone with her free hand - not stopping the quickening movements of the hand between her legs, she calls the person on her mind. The only person she could possibly think about given her current state of need.

The phone rings through several times to the point in which the blonde doesn't think the older woman is even going to answer. Eventually, just before she was about to hang up and try to accept that she would have to continue on her own, a deep, husky voice answers.

"Pipes - is everything okay?" Alex's voice echoes down the phone, with evident thumping music playing in the background of wherever she currently is.

"Ye-ah…" Piper mutters out breathlessly, "I needed… need to hear your voice."

"I can't really hear you. Is this important?" the brunette asks, sounding almost panicked. "I'll just head outside. Wait one second."

"No! Alex I don't think I can wait that long," Piper says as her breathing stutters, trying hard not to shout down the phone due to not wanting anyone in her household to get an earful of what's currently transpiring.

"Why are you talking like that?" the older woman asks as the music in the background becomes less prominent in volume - a sign that she had indeed changed locations to hear the phone call better.

Piper - with her hand moving between her legs at its fastest rate as of yet, can't find the words to reply to the brunette, and when she hears a 'Piper?' ring down the phone in question, it all becomes too much for her. She had called Alex to just hear her voice - put some sound to aid the flood of dirty thoughts roaming through her head, but when her moan fills the phone line, Piper's body stiffens, her back arches, and her partial levels of embarrassment fade into her subconscious.

"Are you-?" Alex begins to ask, yet as she hears the series of grunts being voiced into the phone, her stomach tightens and her eyes close over, not believing what she's hearing. "Jesus, Piper."

The only sound that can be heard is Piper's heavy breathing, and by the time it peters off back to its normal levels of regulation, the blonde recognises a complete silence as she can no longer hear the sound of the loud music in the background.

"Where are you?" Alex asks, voice rougher than usual.

"I'm in my room. Al - I'm sorry if that made you feel uncomfortable."

"It didn't make me feel uncomfortable - quite the opposite, Pipes. I just wish I were there in person."

"Me too."

"What spurred that along?" Alex asks, her voice sounding slightly breathy.

"I woke up from a dream I was having about you. A dirty dream."

"What happened?"

"You were…"

"You don't have to say if you don't want to, Pipes," Alex adds, sensing the younger girl's hesitance.

"You were eating me out."

The brunette does her best to suppress a groan at the imagery that just flashed before her eyes, feeling increasingly turned on at the fact that it's something the younger blonde had been fantasising about.

"And you had to call me to get yourself off," Alex says - chuckling slightly, but not wanting the blonde to feel embarrassed by something the brunette found extremely intoxicating.

"Like I said: I needed to hear your voice."

"I hope my voice managed to satisfy your needs," the older woman replies, the smile on her face evident through her tone of voice.

"Why are you now breathing weirdly?" Piper asks as her counterpart's breath can be heard loudly down the line. "Are you-?"

"I'm walking home, Pipes. I know - not quite the scenario I wish I was in, but I had no option but to leave as soon as I could."

"You didn't have to leave because of me."

"It was either queue for the busy toilets for 20 minutes and risk being heard, or walk home and do whatever I want to do in the peace and quiet of my own home with only my own company freely."

"Using your free hand otherwise."

"Clever," Alex replies, both laughing at the blonde's double entendre.

"Was that a yawn I heard there, Chapman?" Alex asks while Piper, feeling guilty, tries her best to stifle a yawn.

"No," the blonde tries to reply, but remains unsuccessful in that a second consecutive indication of her tiredness is displayed. "Okay, maybe yes."

"Go to sleep then, kid."

"I don't want to miss out when you… you know."

"Who said I wanted an audience?"

"Oh, I didn't mean to assume-"

"I'm kidding, Pipes. I'm not home yet, so I think we should do that some other time."

"I'd like that."

"Less than a week now, kid."

"Thanks for the reminder. It's not like I've spent the last few days coming up with an idea as to why I have to come home from this holiday a few days earlier than the rest of my family."

"What did you say?" Alex asks, surprised at the lengths Piper is taking - not thinking she'd take the whole 'date planning' _this_ seriously.

"Made up something about Polly asking me on a road trip."

"And they believed you?"

"Surprisingly, yes. Well, my Dad's too busy playing golf with his friends while my Mom is… I don't know she's being weird. Has been the last few weeks."

"Well as long as your planning runs smoothly."

"Are you doubting my planning abilities?"

"Believe me when I tell you that's never something that'll be in the picture, Pipes."

The conversation finally dwindles out, and by the time Piper eventually ends the call and puts her shorts back on, she'd never felt more excited to go back home.

* * *

Sitting opposite one another in the blonde's garden, the pair eat while discussing what they had being doing for the week and a half Piper had been away.

The 'date planning' - Piper discovered - was harder than she had expected. Yes - she wanted to make it special; memorable, but doing so would be hard considering they had mutually agreed that being seen out in public together so soon after the blonde had graduated wasn't a smart move.

Deciding to cook them a 3 course meal - cooking being one of the few things Piper hadn't quite caught the knack of, and after Alex revelled in telling the blonde how amazed she was by her cooking abilities, the younger woman initially refrained from revealing it was her third attempt at cooking the specific dish - yes, she had taken planning more serious than what was probably deemed necessary.

By the time dessert was being eaten, Piper found herself longing for Alex's company. Initially, she felt ridiculous for feeling such things when they were literally seated opposite one another at the table, yet as she watches the brunette take a bite from her food, assessing the movement of her tongue gracing the spoon and the subsequent movements of her sharp jaw, Piper feels that all familiar clench in her lower abdomen.

She knew she wanted all of the brunette, yet also knew that the ball was in her court - Alex said they would wait as long as they needed to, however, in just sitting opposite one another - having simple conversation, Piper doesn't know how much longer she can wait.

Her initial touch is light; tentative; testing. Running her bare foot along the length of the older woman's calf, Piper is blessed with green eyes, which were previously focused on not dropping the large mound of food its spoon was holding, meeting her own inquisitive blue set. The brunette - acting like a true professional - continues as though nothing was happening, yet when Piper sits forward in her seat, running her foot higher along Alex's leg and towards her inner thigh - wiggling her toes, her built-up hardcore demeanor snaps.

"What're you doing?" she asks, trying to act calm.

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

"It's rude to answer a question with another question."

"Then don't ask stupid questions, Alex," Piper flirts, before coming up with an idea. "Are you done?" she asks, lifting her chair slightly to push it back as she stands and moves around the table, careful not to knock over one of the candles she had picked out and lit for the occasion.

"I guess I am," Alex replies, leaning back from the table as the blonde enters her personal space, straddling her lap the best she can without exposing herself through having a wardrobe malfunction courtesy of the slit in her black dress.

"Hey," Piper whispers after pressing her forehead onto Alex's.

"Hey there," the brunette replies, placing her hands around the blonde's waist, pulling their bodies closer.

"I've missed you," Piper admits, taking in the feeling of being this close to Alex after suffering through their short period of withdrawal.

"I've missed you too, Pipes."

Smiling down at the raven-haired woman, Piper leans forward to press their lips together, savouring a thought in which she knows her - perfectly executed - thorough planning was all worthwhile.

Grinding her hips forward - almost as though searching for a form of friction, Piper's movements are stopped, as Alex places a hand into the slit of her dress, stroking the bare skin of her thigh while pulling away from their zealous kiss.

"Piper-"

"It's okay," the blonde reassures, looking the older woman in the eyes. "I want this just as much as you do… if not more."

"Are you sure?" Alex asks, feeling the need to make sure Piper is comfortable with the prospect of what such a statement could lead to.

"Positive. Now fucking kiss me, Alex," the blonde commands, before having her breath literally taken away when the brunette - yet again - plunges her tongue into her mouth.

It's a matter of minutes before the pair are restless and can't keep their hands to themselves. Piper, tilting her head back, allows the brunette additional access to the skin of her neck that her teeth are teasingly brushing against, and when the blonde uses her own hands to grip at her counterpart's ample chest, a set of vibrations drums against her larynx - an indication that Alex very much enjoyed the simple contact.

Encasing her arms around Piper's thighs, the raven-haired woman stands up as the blonde then proceeds to wrap her legs around her waist, while Alex begins to walk them into the house.

Their lips reconnect and remain fused throughout their journey to the staircase, where Piper is eventually released and grabs her companion's hand, all but dragging them to her room.

Piper shuts the door behind them – feeling weird if it were to be left open despite the house being empty bar themselves, and the pair stand opposite one another, breathing heavy, as though processing what they're pretty sure is about to happen.

"Come here," Alex says just above a whisper, and when the blonde approaches, she leans in, continuing where they had left off minutes earlier.

If she was being honest with herself, Piper was ready for this with Alex. She'd been ready for this with the older woman for a long time, yet wanted their - as well as her own - first time to be something that would be looked back on fondly, and without the fear of the consequences they could have faced if they were to have displayed further levels of unprecedented recklessness at earlier points in the year.

By the time Piper's on her back, she's naked from the waist upwards. The brunette - she admired, had taken her time in undoing the buttons on the front of her dress and pulling it down from the shoulders, leaving it bunched at her hip, while - with pleading visible consent to do so - then removing her purple laced bra.

"You're beautiful, Pipes," Alex admits as she looks down at the younger woman before her, the moonlight through the windows positioned behind them shining down on the blonde's recently tanned skin.

Piper - feeling exposed under the brunette's gaze, runs her hands along Alex's t-shirt, before leaning forward to slowly pull it over her head and then reach behind to undo her bra strap.

"Need some help?" Alex asks, not wanting to sound patronising but noticing that the blonde is visibly struggling with undoing the hooks of her bra.

"No, I've got it," Piper replies through clenched teeth, obviously concentrating.

Not being able to witness the younger girl internally berate herself any longer, Alex places her hands on Piper's forearms, causing blue eyes to look up and meet her own.

"We're in no rush," the brunette voices gently. "Take your time."

Piper, after hearing the words of encouragement, lets out a long, soothing breath, and manages to undo the garment, splaying her hands across the skin of the older woman's back as soon as the skin is freed.

Alex moves her arms while Piper pulls away the straps from her shoulders, and when the item is completely removed - being thrown onto the pile of clothing building up on the floor, the blonde is speechless.

She had fantasised about Alex's body ever since she would find herself ogling down her top in class on occasion or checking out her ass in a particularly tight pair of trousers. What she sees in real life, however, exceeds her expectations, as the brunette's ample breasts - with visibly hardened nipples - leave her mouth watering.

"Can I?" Piper asks as she runs her hands down Alex's arms, all while not removing her eyes from the newly exposed skin.

"Of course you can. You don't have to ask to touch me, Pipes. Just do what comes naturally."

In hearing what she felt she needed to hear, Piper places both hands over the older woman's breasts, squeezing the skin's tissue lightly, as they both let out a groan at the first real contact they were exploring for the first time that evening.

Not wanting to make the younger woman nervous, Alex proceeds to pull Piper's black dress down the remainder of her body, followed by beginning to unbutton her own dark jeans.

"Please. Let me," Piper voices, having imagined doing such a thing to Alex on several occasions.

Now in the same state of dress - only wearing their underwear, Alex finally settles her weight down onto the blonde, both closing their eyes at the feeling of the connection for the first time. Neither knows who leaned in first, but before they know it, their lips are - once again - familiarising themselves, and Alex, for the first time, proceeds to embark on her journey in mapping a path with her hot mouth down the blonde's stunning body.

In doing so, she comes to realise the blonde's chest - despite being smaller in size, is extremely sensitive. She toys with the area - ensuring she doesn't tease the younger woman, and feels her own arousal levels skyrocket at the sound of the moans ripping through Piper's throat as she wraps her lips around her stiffened nipple, ensuring to give equal treatment to both breasts. In moving on to peppering kisses along the blonde's toned abdomen, Alex finally allows herself to give in and leave her mark on the skin so to speak, and when doing so - unable to take it much longer, she feels a set of hands run through her hair.

"Alex - please, remove them," Piper pants out, referring to her underwear, which, when she shuffles lower to comply, Alex sees a dark patch of wetness completely soaking the material.

Giving one last dance upwards and seeing a nod in confirmation, Alex pulls Piper's underwear down her long legs, admiring not only the abundance of wetness visible, but the blonde's shaven mound.

"God, Pipes," Alex whispers, not being able to look away, yet Piper - in feeling slightly nervous under the green-eyed gaze - cups the brunette's jaw, pulling her upwards so that they return to their passionate kiss.

"You good?" Alex asks between kisses as she trails one of her hands down the blonde's stomach and begins to run it up her inner thighs, moving her fingers through the wetness already pressed against the skin's surface area.

"I'm great. You?"

"Never better. If you want me to stop at any point, just tell me. Okay?"

"Yeah," Piper pants out around moans as she begins to feel needy for more friction. "Touch me," she concludes, looking into Alex's eyes before her own deceive her in flickering shut at the feeling of two talented fingers running through her soaked folds.

The brunette's movements are slow and calculated, yet she ensures to keep eye contact with the blonde. She can hear the younger woman's breathing rate increasing exponentially, all while feeling the rising of her chest hitting her own. Knowing what kind of touch the blonde is aching for, Alex complies as she gently brushes a wet finger against her clit.

Piper's head shoots backwards as a sharp, pleasurable sensation courses through her body. Her mouth - mid-moan - flies open, letting out silent gasps, as her neck veins look as though they could burst. It's a sight that Alex knows she'll remember for the rest of her life. Witnessing the effect she has on someone who has the equal effect on her is a feeling she had never experienced before - one of which she didn't know if she would ever experience again.

"Al," Piper pleads, knowing she's already close to her apex. "Please. Inside. I trust you," she adds while running one hand around the brunette's neck as though cementing the serenity behind her statement, and as she pulls her head backwards so that their eyes are connected, Alex complies.

Lining up her middle finger with the blonde's soaked centre, she gently pushes forward, checking for any sign of discomfort from Piper's features. In seeing none, Alex is allowed to fully rest her finger inside the blonde, admiring not only the look of pleasure evident on the younger woman's face, but taking in the feeling stirring inside her own core sparked from finally being able to feel Piper so intimately after waiting so long to do so.

Being the first person to ever do this with Piper is something that turns Alex on tenfold. Keeping her hand still, the brunette lowers her head into the crook of the blonde's neck, letting out a deep groan into the skin at the sudden overwhelming flood of emotions coursing through her own body. Moving towards the younger girl's ear, Alex whispers words of encouragement, letting the blonde knows how satisfying it feels to be inside of her; how long she had been waiting to be inside of her, and when she finally sucks on Piper's earlobe and returns to her position where she can check for any signs of pain, she begins to move her finger, slowly pulling it out.

Both women revel in the feeling of the light penetration of the tight centre, and when a safe, satisfying rhythm is established, Piper finds herself craving more.

"More, Al," she says, moving her hips forward to match the increasing thrusts.

Seeing want behind the blonde's watering blue eyes, Alex lines up a second finger, to which, when pulling out, she slowly introduces the new addition, feeling her own body tensing up in hearing the moans of pure pleasure the new light stretch ripped from the blonde's lips.

"Fuck, Alex, fuck," Piper moans out while running her hands almost frantically down the brunette's back as not only do the speed of Alex's thrusts increase, but the addition of her thumb playing with her swollen clit leaves her nearing her peak.

"You feel so fucking amazing, Pipes," Alex says between sloppy kisses. "So good. So tight."

"I'm going to come," Piper voices as she feels her lower regions clench at the brunette's words, and all it takes is for Alex to pull back from the kiss - keeping their eye contact, and curl her fingers as she buries them deeply into the blonde's pulsating centre.

"I'm cumming, I'm cumming, I'm cumming, I'm cumming," Piper rapidly repeats, panting out as her fountain of pleasure bursts courtesy of Alex's talented hands and sexual prowess.

Alex guides the young woman through her recovery phases, in which the tight grip the blonde's inner walls had around her fingers begin to loosen, eventually allowing the brunette to pull out completely, although still wary to not hurt the blonde below her.

Bringing her wet fingers up to her lips, Alex sucks off the evidence of what they had just shared, feeling her heart rate increase at the taste along with the moan of satisfaction she hears from Piper as she watches the scene before her unfolding.

Leaning onto her elbows either side of the blonde's head, the pair share a kiss - the most tame one of the night so far, almost as though checking what they had just done actually happened and wasn't something they were imagining.

"How was it?" Alex asks, smiling down at the panting younger woman while using her hands to gently push back the streaks of sweaty blonde hair stuck to her forehead.

"Perfect," Piper honestly remarks. "Better than I could have ever imagined, Al," she adds, before pulling Alex's face back down, letting her lips do the talking.

* * *

 **And breathe...** **(or, in my case, sleep.)**

 **Have a good New Year.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Thanks for the birthday wishes! I hope 2019 proves to be a good one for all of you.**

* * *

"Well we can't have you just imagining, can we?" Alex asks between kisses as she feels Piper's legs wrap around her lower back, creating contact between her sweaty abdominals and the younger woman's wet centre.

She proceeds to paint her lips along Piper's body - taking her time to savour the sounds coming out of the blonde's mouth, until she reaches her inner thighs. Her breath is hot against the sensitive area, stirring a canting motion to come from the younger woman's hips, to which Alex then places her hands down on either side of Piper's toned v-line, keeping her back in contact with the mattress.

Continuing with her mission, the older woman innocently brushes her lips along Piper's inner thighs, trying to hold out as long as she can before she gives in to temptation; and in finally seeing the blonde reach an almost lethargic state of control, Alex relents. Green eyes search blue and seeing no hint of hesitation, the brunette takes her first long lick of Piper's centre, revelling in the sight of the younger woman's head flying backwards as her eyes close over; the sound of the feminine moan ripped from her throat, and the sensation of a hand running through her hair, keeping her in place.

For Piper, the sensation is new. It's very welcomed, yet - initially - the fear of not enjoying whatever she would be doing with Alex was one of which she found overriding. The feel of the older woman's tongue proved to catalyse indescribable sparks that course throughout her body; the worry dissipates.

When wrapping her lips around the blonde's swollen bud, it's Alex's turn to vocalise how she feels. Muffling a groan into Piper's centre, the vibrations cause an additional flood of wetness to cover the brunette's chin, causing eager hips to buck into the air, asking for more.

Sliding her right hand up from where it was positioned on the blonde's lower hip, Alex covers the blonde's left breast and squeezes the skin, feeling the tautness of her nipple increasing as she does so. In hearing the frequency of the younger woman's moans increase along with the roughness of the grip she has in her hair, Alex gives Piper what she was craving for; lining up her tongue at her centre - originally teasing at penetration, she thrusts inside, hit with a heavier taste of the younger woman, and a feel of her tight, contracting muscular walls.

Piper doesn't last much longer, as when Alex feels the near violent thrusts of her hips, the almost painful grip in her hair, and hears the uncontrollable panting profanity-filled rendition of her own name, the evidence of the younger woman's release fills her mouth while simultaneously covering her chin.

The feel of Piper's lessening grip in her hair eventually indicates that her body is near recovering, and while she feels two hands pushing her shoulders away as she gives her last few licks, Alex's heart clenches at the sight of a fully sated Piper, smiling while she places her arms bent over her head slightly, revealing her toned biceps as they flex.

"Are you okay?" Alex asks as she sits back on her heels, being that the younger woman is yet to speak.

"Never better," Piper replies, choosing to repeat the brunette's saying from earlier in the evening.

Alex - shuffling forwards on her knees - turns her body so that she's now lying to the blonde's left, both on their backs.

"Can you…?"

"Can I?" Alex probes, sensing what Piper's trying to say, but not wanting to impose or assume.

Hooking her right leg over the older woman's hip, Piper turns, using the index finger of her right hand to trace the skin of Alex's sternum.

"Coach me through this?"

"You don't have to, Pipes," the brunette replies, seeing Piper's sudden display of hesitancy.

"I know, but I want to, Al," the blonde admits honestly, looking into green eyes while doing so.

"Just trust your instincts," Alex begins, but her sentence is interrupted by Piper's lips landing on her own, starting up from where they had been passionately entwined previously.

Moving her lips down to the brunette's neck, Piper takes in the scent of Alex's perfume mixed with the sweaty surface of her skin. It's a combination that leaves her intoxicated; intoxicated in not only the smell of the older woman, but in being with her, sharing this intimate moment together, and in feeling overwhelmed by the sudden flurry of emotions, her lips detach from the segment of skin they were attached to, followed by removing her head from Alex's neck.

Staring at the brunette - who, the blonde will admit, looks confused by her sudden movement, Piper asks something that she's been aching to know the answer to, but, up until this moment, has been too afraid to ask.

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

Alex - mind still fogged from the ministrations of Piper's lips on her neck, is stunned by the question, not only because of the timing of Piper asking, but because Alex had thought she would be the one to eventually ask the question at hand given the blonde's inexperience.

"Pipes-"

"Yes, Alex, I am sure that I want this. Want you."

"I want this too."

"So that's a yes?!" Piper exclaims, fully straddling the brunette's body while keeping their heads close.

"Of course it's a yes, Piper," Alex answers, mirroring the blonde's smile as she's pulled into their first kiss as a couple.

Building in confidence, the blonde lowers her hand down Alex's body, travelling along her toned stomach and down between her legs, running two fingers through her soaked slit. Alex herself was surprised by Piper's bold manoeuvre, but didn't have the time to think over that when lips attach to her breast in a way that she assumes will leave several marks by the end of the night.

Piper feels as though she's in her element when doing this with Alex - feeling confident since confirming their status as a couple. After hearing a 'Pipes' slip from the brunette's lips along with a moan, Piper takes the plunge in doing what she had hoped would happen between them, but given their prior situation, was never sure if it ever would.

Removing her head from Alex's nipple, Piper tries to watch Alex's reaction as she pushes her two wet fingers into her centre; however, surprisingly, it isn't the brunette who seems to be as visually affected by the contact, as as soon as the blonde's fingers slide effortlessly into the brunette's most intimate area, Piper's head drops into Alex's neck, where she lets out a groan into the sweaty skin, causing vibrations to erupt onto its surface.

For Piper, the feel of being inside Alex is one that her imagination barely managed to even remotely touch upon. Knowing that the brunette is hers causes her own stomach to clench, yet in not wanting to make this about herself, the blonde realises that while she's still trying to compose herself in the crook of Alex's neck, she's not moving her fingers.

"You can start moving when you're ready, Pipes," the blonde hears Alex strain out - a sign that despite not showing it so much compared to herself, the contact is affecting her immensely.

Encouraged by Alex's comment, Piper slides her fingers outwards, only to sink back in; establishing a comfortable, steady rhythm. She manages to finally remove herself from Alex's neck, having told herself she wanted to watch the older woman; her girlfriend. The thought makes the blonde smile, and in hearing the groans she's managing to coax out of the woman below her, she speeds up the tempo of her thrusts, wanting to please Alex as much as she had herself been pleased.

"This is so hot, Al," Piper says as her lips brush against the brunette's, both panting out heavy breaths.

"I know something that'll make it hotter," she replies, placing her hand on Piper's shoulder, pushing her down slightly. "Only if you're comfortable with-" Alex begins, yet doesn't get the chance to finish as the contact between her hand and Piper's shoulder no longer exists, being that the younger girl is now resting between her legs, looking at the space occupied by her fingers.

It's something else Piper had thought about - despite trying extremely hard not to, and also adds to her collection of new things she's experiencing in the company of the older raven-haired woman. Despite having one, the blonde had never seen another vagina this up-close before. She had tried to prepare herself in watching some videos, but quickly came to the conclusion that using porn wasn't the greatest place for her research - not that she would admit that aloud to Alex.

Keeping the eye contact with the older woman, Piper places her free hand around her thigh and leans in, licking across the brunette's swollen clit.

Alex - finding it too much with the sensations she's feeling along with Piper's eye contact - lets out her loudest, husky moan yet, in which she grips onto the bed sheet, trying to anchor herself. That doesn't last for very long, however, as with the quickening movements of Piper's fingers and the movements of her lips and tongue, Alex's body stiffens. Unable to keep her hands grounded, she runs her right through the blonde's hair to keep her in place as she comes loudly.

Piper opens her eyes to get a glimpse of the older woman before her as she lets herself go - almost crashing over the edge herself at the imagery. Alex's head is tilted back, mouth open as she lets out loud grunts; her chest is moving up and down from her rapid breathing rate; her free hand slips over to grab her breast, kneading the skin roughly. The hand tightening in her hair spurs Piper to keep going, and when she eventually feels it loosen, she crawls up the brunette's body, removes her fingers despite the sigh of protest, and rests her weight on top of the woman below her in a parallel fashion, using her arms to maintain balance.

"Hey," Alex says, sounding drained.

"Hey," Piper replies, pausing. "Was that…? Did I?" she adds, feeling a sudden flush of self-consciousness.

"You did great," Alex starts, reaching up a hand to push a strand of blonde hair behind the younger woman's ear. "Are you sure that was your first time?"

"Positive," Piper smiles, rolling to lie down next to the brunette.

"Can I ask you something?" Alex voices after an extended period of comfortable silence between the pair as they bask in the afterglow of their intimacy, both lying on their backs looking at the ceiling.

"Mm-hmm."

"Why didn't you choose to go to NYU?" the brunette proceeds, finally asking the question that's been burning on the tip of her tongue ever since her conversation with Piper's father during her graduation evening several weeks ago.

"How did you know about that?" Piper quickly asks, propping herself up on her elbows to look over at the woman next to her.

"Your dad mentioned it at your graduation."

Lying back down, Piper sighs lightly, having struggled with discussing the topic of college throughout most of the academic year.

"I changed my mind."

"Because?"

"I realised that the English programme was just as good at Smith."

"What made you realise that?" Alex probes, not wanting to explicitly ask whether sharing her own educational choices played a part.

"You."

"Piper-"

"You're the only person who's ever encouraged me to do what _I_ want to do, not just because I'm good at it, but because I enjoy it. I saw how happy you seemed and the kinds of things you would point out… they're the things I want to be able to point out, and the way you express things without being too cliché. It just felt like the right thing to do," the blonde admits, not wanting Alex to think she made the decision based on the evident attraction she had for her at the time of making the decision.

"While I'm flattered, I think you'd fit in there very well," the brunette replies, not wanting to take the discussion too far, knowing how insecure it can make the younger woman feel.

"I got offered a job the other week," Alex adds, changing the subject.

"I didn't realise you were looking to change," Piper answers, curious. "Where is it?"

"I wasn't looking to change – and technically I won't be. I was offered Head of English at Litchfield for next year," Alex announces stoically.

"Congratulations," Piper says, smiling while placing her hand over Alex's left hand. "Are you going to take it."

"Probably, but that isn't the problem."

"Then what is?"

"That you'll be miles away while I'm stuck teaching in the room where I'm accustomed to seeing you nearly every day," Alex reveals, finally voicing the questions circling her head regarding how they're going to function – especially now as a couple – with the inevitable literal distance between them.

"Is that worrying you?"

"I don't know. Should it be?"

"I can't lie and say I haven't thought about it," Piper starts, turning onto her side to face the brunette, "but we're girlfriends now. I can assure you that I have no intentions on being with anyone else other than you, Alex. We'll work something out. I'll visit when I can on the weekends."

"I could find a closer job."

"No – Alex I couldn't ask you to do that. You love your job too much for that."

Alex watches the flickering blue eyes giving off sheer levels of honesty. She wanted to be honest with the blonde, let her know her job wasn't the only thing she had grown to love, but didn't see the time fitting; she didn't want to move ahead too quickly.

"You're right," the brunette replies, also turning to face the blonde. "We'll work it out; we have time."

They share a final peck on the lips before Piper turns her body to face the opposite direction, allowing her back to mould into Alex's front. After wishing each other goodnight, the thoughts of their up-and-coming separation don't seem as scary – it's the least of their worries.


	17. Chapter 17

**I know it's rather short... I'll try and upload either in another few hours or later in the day tomorrow.**

* * *

"Happy Birthday, babe," Alex's husky voice echoes down the phone from where she's lying at home in bed under her duvet.

"Thanks, Al," Piper smiles down the line, standing outside in her garden while the rest of her family are setting up her birthday lunch inside.

"Are you still good for tomorrow?"

"Of course I am," Piper says, turning to check that no one can hear her. "I miss you, Al."

"I miss you too, Pipes, but tomorrow isn't far away. Are you excited for your gift?"

"Mm-hmm. I'd be even more excited if it were just you wrapped up and ready to open," the blonde replies with a flirtatious tone, chuckling at her girlfriend's response.

"Fuck, Piper, you've ruined the surprise!" Alex says sarcastically, "No seriously, how would I even manage to wrap myself up?"

"You'd find a way," Piper answers while smiling into the phone before rapidly turning at the sound of knocking on the nearby kitchen window.

She observes that her mother is the one doing the knocking, and when they make eye contact, the older woman motions for the blonde to come inside, mouthing 'it's ready'.

"I have to go, Al," Piper says, sighing.

"That's fine. Enjoy your day, kid," Alex replies, not wanting to express the sudden bout of sadness she felt regarding the phone's verbal departure. "I'll call you later about tomorrow."

"Can't wait," the blonde concludes, ending the call and putting her phone into her pocket, feeling surprisingly optimistic about the day ahead.

Although lunch went smoothly; being that the brunette refused to tell her anything about the subsequent so-called 'belated birthday day' she's hosting, Piper wanted to be prepared. She knew the dress code: something nice; _very helpful_ , and wanted to abide by that when deciding what to wear. Stepping into her en-suite to shower, Piper turns on her waterproof speakers, ready to relax and prepare for what will await the following day with Alex.

Having set a playlist beforehand, the blonde chose to leave her phone in her room, not wanting to run the risk of it getting wet, and in doing so, she misses Alex's call - well, the call isn't _missed_ per se…

* * *

Heading up to her daughter's room to hand over a birthday card that came in the post, Carol stops when she hears the light instrumental music from the other side of the closed bedroom door. Knocking quietly, she opens the door, confirming her suspicions when she sees the en-suite is shut and hears the running shower water more clearly.

Walking over to Piper's desk, she sets down her mail, but something suddenly catches her eye. Sitting on the desk - tucked underneath a notebook - lies a book - more specifically, the one that piqued her interest when she saw her daughter reading it while on holiday. Pulling it out from where it was placed, Carol opens the front page, reading what's written in the scribbled cursive font.

' _Dear Piper,_

 _I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. Congratulations on your graduation._

 _Best wishes,_

 _Alex._ '

 _That name again_ , Carol thinks to herself as she brushes a hand against the ink while racking through her brain. She doesn't get much thinking time, however, when a vibrating sound projects off where Piper's iPhone is resting against the wood of the desk, and in looking down at the screen, her eyebrows rise in seeing the ringing phone accompanied with the contact name 'Alex' covering the screen.

Being that she can still the shower water running, the older woman grabs the device, telling herself she's doing what's right for her daughter.

"Hello," Carol greets, wondering if her voice is recognised.

"Piper?" a rough - very distinctive - voice asks down the phone, one of which confirms her rousing suspicions.

"Why're you calling my daughter?"

The older woman waits for a response - only knowing someone is still on the other end of the phone due to hearing their breathing down the line. "I know who it is. Alex. Miss Vause the teacher, Alex."

Knowing that the other woman isn't going to reply - not exactly blaming her for not doing so, Carol continues, wanting to get this over and done with before her daughter gets out the shower and sees what is going on.

"I don't know what's really happening between the two of you, Alex. I've had my suspicions since I heard what was happening in the bathroom that evening-"

"What bathroom?" the husky voice tries to interrupt down the phone in question, but is ignored.

"-but this has just confirmed it. If I find out you've mistreated or taken advantage of my daughter there'll be big problems for you, and when I-"

The phone call cuts off, indicating that the brunette on the other end disconnected the line.

Hearing her daughter wringing out her wet hair in the shower - suggesting she's about to finish, the older woman takes her own phone out of her pocket, takes a picture of the number that she had just spoken to, and puts everything back to where it was originally.

While leaving the room, Carol feels slightly guilty for what she had just done. After walking down to the kitchen and picking up the small, open bottle of vodka, Carol heads up into her empty bedroom and sits down on the bed, back facing the door. She fights the urge to dive in straight away and pour herself a drink, but instead pulls out her phone to try and drown her sorrows elsewhere.

* * *

Alex immediately realises that the voice on the other end of the phone doesn't belong to her girlfriend, and throughout the antagonising 2 minute call, the brunette doesn't know what to do.

Does Piper's mom know everything going on between them? Is she going to report her to the school? Was she about to start threatening her? And for the love of God, what fucking bathroom was she talking about?

Not knowing whether she can call Piper back so soon and risk the high chance if her mother answering again, Alex tries to curate her thoughts. The now ringing phone still occupying the space in her hand grabs her attention, reigniting the flame of worry she was desperately trying to put out. This time, she's the one receiving a phone call, and, worst of all, it's from an unknown number.


	18. Chapter 18

**Here's the promised double update - check out Chapter 17 if you haven't done so already!**

* * *

"Hey, Al, it's me again. It's been four days now. Just tell me what's going on. Have I said something to make you want to start ignoring me? Unless there was a problem with my gift," Piper says, chuckling in a self-deprecating manner. "Call me, Alex. Please."

Leaving another voicemail for her girlfriend heightens Piper's current emotional state. She hadn't heard from Alex since their phone call on her birthday, and not knowing why she hasn't heard from the brunette - especially due to the fact they had plans to celebrate her birthday belatedly together - is bothering her tremendously.

"No answer again?" Polly asks from where she's seated opposite her best friend in a local café.

"No," Piper replies, sighing while placing her phone down onto the table, sitting back in her chair. "I just don't get it."

"Maybe it was too good to be true."

"Don't say that."

"What? It's a valid point."

"It's not a fucking valid point, Pol. We spoke on my birthday. Everything was fine."

"Just fine?"

"No. I mean yes. You know what I mean," Piper tries to explain, placing her head in her hands as she rests her elbows on the table.

"You could be overreacting, Pipes," Polly tries to neutralise the situation. "Maybe she's just broken her phone."

"She knows my number to still call me," the blonde mumbles into her hands before widening her fingers, revealing her falling tears to her best friend. "I just don't know what's changed between us so suddenly."

Reaching over to pull the blonde's hands from her face, Polly links their fingers, speaking sincerely into blue, teary eyes.

"I'll go grab more coffee. Try to compose yourself and we'll figure something out," the brunette says, getting up and leaving the blonde to try and pull herself together.

Reaching into her pocket, Piper pulls out a tissue - using it to wipe her eyes; thankful that her best friend picked a table at the back on the secluded side of the small café. Looking down at her fingers that are resting on her lap, Piper hears the chair opposite her screech against the wooden floor, and, upon looking up, she sees that the person sitting opposite to her isn't Polly.

"Piper I take it?" the person asks from across the table.

"Who're you."

"Nicky."

"Nicky as in-"

"Vause's best friend, yeah," the wild-haired woman confirms, finishing the younger woman's sentence for her.

"How did you know I would be here?"

"Vause told me."

"Oh so she does have a working phone," the blonde retorts sarcastically.

"Listen - I get that you're mad… she does too, which is why she sent me here to explain."

"Why couldn't she come here and tell me herself, or even pick up her fucking phone and answer me?"

"It's complicated, Piper."

"So complicated that she had to send a messenger instead of explaining why she bailed on the plans she had organised for her girlfriend's birthday?"

The wild-haired woman watches her best friend's girlfriend - whom she had heard a lot about - and smiles smugly, amused that the blonde's responses are the exact kind that would have come out of Alex's mouth if the tables were turned in this kind of situation.

"Look," Nicky begins, placing her elbows on the table and leaning forward, "Vause told me to tell you she did call, but something changed."

"What changed?"

"I don't know."

"You didn't think to ask?" Piper says, raising her voice as a vein begins to pulsate openly on the side of her temple.

"Of course I did. You know what Vause is like - she keeps her cards close to her chest."

"Yeah - she fucking does," Piper huffs out, not knowing what to think.

"Just don't think too much into it."

"Did you really just say that?"

"I know it sounds bad, but I know Vause really likes you. She never talks about girlfriends - hell, she never really ever had girlfriends to even talk about in the first place."

"She talks about me?" the blonde asks, raising her eyebrows.

"Won't fucking shut up," Nicky jokes, happy to finally see the young blonde in front of her laugh for the first time since her arrival. "I mean it when I say Alex is serious about this, Piper. She's just a bit paranoid."

"What do you mean by paranoid?"

"Paranoid: can be a noun or adjective, commonly used in-"

"I know what the word paranoid means, Nicky. Just answer the question," Piper responds, growing tired of the confusing situation she's somehow ended up in.

"She called you - like she said she would - and you didn't pick up."

"So she's ignoring me for missing a call?"

"For fuck sake, blondie, let me finish," Nicky says, trying to get her best friend's girlfriend to understand what she's hinting at without revealing the explicit answer - something Alex had worn her into secrecy for the time being. "The thing is: someone answered the phone."

"Who?"

"Someone that wasn't you I guess."

"No shit, Sherlock - I could have figured that one out."

"You asked."

Piper, digging into her pocket, grabs her phone and unlocks it, immediately going to her recent call log. Scrolling down through her list, she lands on the date of her birthday - seeing 'Alex (2)' appear in on the screen in black text, indicating that her calls were successful and answered both times. Clicking on the second call, which reads 7:42pm - lasting 2 minutes 14 seconds, Piper tries to think back to where she had been at that moment in time; who could have possibly answered her phone and spoken to Alex for 2 minutes without so much as mentioning it to her?

"Holy shit," Piper says, looking up from her phone and at Nicky. "I was in the shower. Someone answered it."

"That's what I was telling you, smartass."

"I need to go," Piper says, standing up from her chair and grabbing her bag from the floor. "Thank you, Nicky," she adds, placing her hand on the wild-haired woman's shoulder, squeezing the skin.

"Where's your friend?"

"Oh, shit, Polly!" Piper exclaims, looking around.

"Relax," Nicky laughs, "I saw her on the way in and explained I'm Alex's friend. She'll be back in a minute."

Smiling, Piper goes to leave, before Nicky grabs her arm gently, regaining her attention.

"For the record, if Vause fucks this up, I'll personally beat the shit out of her for you."

"Noted. Thanks, Nicky," Piper says, smiling while rushing out the door, texting Polly to try and explain while doing so.

Remaining at the table, Nicky takes out her own phone, sending a message to the tall, dark-haired recent topic of conversation.

 _Nicky: I did it. You've really done a number on her, Vause, so hurry the fuck up with whatever your lanky ass is doing._

"Ah - Piper had to go," Nicky says, looking up to see Piper's companion return with two hot drinks in her hand.

"I know - she already sent a text."

"I didn't really get to introduce myself back there. I'm Nicky - Alex's best friend."

"Nice to meet you, Nicky. I'm Piper's best friend, Polly," the brunette replies, shaking the wild-haired woman's outstretched hand. "So are you gonna fill me in with all this lesbian drama?" she asks, sliding one of the drinks in her hand towards her new acquaintance, and in seeing Nicky's puzzling look towards the drink and then back over at her, she feels the need to add: "I already paid for it, so I hope you like vanilla latte."

"It'll do," Nicky replies, smiling as she shuffles in her seat, ready to explain the given complicated situation at hand.

* * *

Slamming the front door of her home shut, Piper rips off her shoes and rushes along the long hallway into the room in which her family are eating dinner.

"What did you say to her?" Piper asks, looking at her mother.

"Excuse me?" Carol replies, looking up from her plate, eyes wide.

"Oh, come on, Mom. Don't play dumb with me. I know it was you. You were in my room."

"Am I not allowed to go into any room in the house that I own and pay the bills for?"

"So answering my calls and not telling me anything about it is a part of that?" Piper sasses, placing her hands on her hips.

"Piper that's a big accusation."

"What the fuck did you say to Alex, Mom?" Piper shouts, switching to use her hands animatedly as her temper finally snaps, not caring about the type of language she uses in front of her family.

"Piper - don't speak to your mother like that," her father chimes in, raising his own voice. "I'm sure you've misunderstood."

"No, Dad, I'm positive I haven't misunderstood because I know it was her. Mail was left in my room - something only Mom does."

"Who is this Alex person you're talking about, anyway," Bill goes on to ask.

"Her teacher," Carol answers calmly.

Bill's head whips over to look at his wife - almost as though questioning her, while Piper's younger brother, Cal, watches, amused by the entertaining sight unfolding in front of him.

Piper begins to grow tired of her mother's reluctance to admit what she did was wrong, and in finally deciding the time is right, she loses it completely.

"Alex is my girlfriend. Yes, you heard me right, and I know that you've said something to her, Mom. I know that you wouldn't approve of me dating a woman, but guess what," she shouts, angry tears beginning to fall her eyes, "I am. You don't know what I've been through this past year and we live under the same fucking roof, but maybe you've been too busy drinking or just leaving me here on my own to notice," the blonde adds, knowing she's hit a nerve.

"Piper that's enough," Bill tries to interrupt, but is unsuccessful.

"So I guess here's your opportunity to disown me, but don't worry, I've been prepared for it. Like you said, Mom, no one wants to be useless, but considering I know that's what you think of most of the choices I've made throughout my life so far, I guess adding that I'm gay makes the decision so much easier for you," Piper concludes, not caring anymore about the content of the monologue she had just delivered. Her home life had added a considerable amount of stress to her mentality, and in finally being able to honesty voice her feelings felt relieving, despite the situation and nature of doing so.

Not wanting to wait for what she had revealed to register among her family members, Piper turns around and leaves the dining area; upon the journey of heading up to her bedroom, the doorbell rings, startling her. Thinking that there's a chance it could be Alex, the blonde goes back down the staircase she was half way up, and opens the door.

She tries her best to hide the look of sadness that covers her face in seeing that it's just a delivery man at the door, holding up a small parcel.

"Piper Chapman," the man says, having read the table on the package.

"That's me, thanks," she confirms taking the parcel from his hand and closing the door as he turns and walks away.

The item, she notes, is heavy, and wanting desperately to know what has been sent to her, she pulls back the brown packaging to be faced with a book: ' _Kingdom of the Blind_ '. Opening the front over, she sees the all too familiar handwriting inscribed onto the page.

' _Piper - trust me; this will benefit the both of us._

 _-A x_ '.


	19. Chapter 19

**A triple update? I guess it's a sign that I need to get back to actually inserting elements of practicality back into my life! I'm heading back to uni at the end of the week, so I'm trying to write as much as I can in the meantime.**

 **Let me know what you think in the reviews, and check out chapters 17/18 if you've missed any updates.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Lying face-first on the surface of her bed, Piper lets out the rest of her pent-up emotions into her pillow. She felt more confused than ever, wondering why Alex couldn't just contact her in means that weren't either through another person, or confusingly cryptic.

Hearing light knocking on her door, the blonde doesn't answer, hoping whoever is on the other side gets the hint and leaves her alone. Of course these hopes fade away as soon as she hears the slow opening of her door, and in this moment, it's a case of hoping that the person entering won't say or do something to add to her already unstable emotional balance.

In feeling the space to the right of her body dip, Piper knows the person in her room is now sitting next to her on the bed, yet still refuses to remove her face from the pillow.

"Piper - don't be upset," Carol's quiet voice fills the otherwise silent room.

 _Great_ , Piper thinks - her mother being the last person she wants to talk to, and so doesn't, having already said everything she wanted to at the dinner table.

"I know what it looks like, but you have to hear it from my perspective," the older woman tries to reason, and although she still receives no response, at least she wasn't kicked out of the room. "Yes, I did answer your phone and talk to… Alex," she hesitates, feeling strange calling her daughter's ex-teacher by her first name, "but what you don't know - what she didn't even know herself - was that I overheard everything that you and Polly were talking about in the bathroom at your graduation," Carol finally admits, having found keeping that secret to herself difficult as of recent.

Piper, still not saying a word, thinks back to what her mother is referring to, and feels an additional onset of embarrassment strike through her as she recalls the conversation that was supposedly overheard.

 _"You were obviously eye fucking back there," Polly says as they stand by the mirrors in the - what they think are empty - toilets._

 _"No we weren't. I didn't even see her arrive."_

 _"That's bullshit, Pipes. I practically had to drag you away before you went over."_

 _"You need to talk quieter, Pol."_

 _"We're the only ones in here, smartass," Polly tries to justify, turning her head and waving an arm down the line of double-sided cubicles. "So have you slept together yet?"_

 _"No, Polly. She's my teacher."_

 _"Yeah, but not anymore. Come on - something more must have happened between the two of you since the last update you gave me."_

 _"Maybe…"_

 _"No way! Spill!" Polly voices, turning from where she was looking into the mirror - checking her eyelashes - to face her best friend._

 _"I invited her inside when we went on the theatre trip. Let's just say things progressed further than they had before that evening."_

 _"So you did sleep with her?"_

 _"No - Cal came home unannounced so she hid and then I scrambled her out the back gate," the blonde admits, laughing at the memory._

 _"Shit, Pipes, that must have been close."_

 _"Well - my parents weren't in, so it could have been a lot worse."_

 _"Are you going to tell them?"_

 _"About what? The fact that I've been having a fling with my teacher who happens to be a female, or the fact that I think I'm falling for my teacher - oh, and did I mention that they happen to be female?"_

 _"Once or twice," Polly replies, before smiling at her best friend. "So falling for her, yeah?"_

 _"I just can't control myself when I'm around her, Pol."_

 _"Wow, too much information!" Polly jokes, pretending to cover her eyes._

 _"That's not what I meant… well, not entirely. She's just read everything, is incredibly intellectual and funny and thoughtful."_

 _"Okay - I get it, you're in love with Miss Vause."_

 _Seeing her best friend bow her head, avoiding her gaze, Polly grips her upper arm. "You know you can be honest with me, Pipes."_

 _"I know," Piper huffs. "We just kind of hit a rough patch recently. I said some things and she didn't take them too well."_

 _"That's no surprise then," Polly laughs, referring to her best friend's - at times - profound lack of verbal processing._

 _"That isn't my worry, Polly. I'm just worried about people finding out, I mean… Alex is a teacher - my old teacher. What if people start giving her shit for it?"_

 _"You're smart, Pipes - hell you both are; you'll come up with something."_

 _"Thanks, Pol."_

 _"Anytime, Piper. You know that. Especially when you're disowned for fucking your teacher."_

 _"It'll be worth it," the blonde jokes, causing the pair to share a moment of laughter before leaving the bathroom, not wanting to miss out on being called into the graduation ceremony._

The thought of knowing her mother heard the content of not only the conversation, but her expressing her feelings towards Alex and the subsequent struggles they were leading to, created a feeling of unease for Piper - not wanting to talk about the subject at hand with her mother in great levels of detail.

"I know you girls thought you were alone, but I didn't realise that's how you felt, Piper… I-" Carol pauses, not knowing whether her daughter is actually listening or not. "I don't want you to feel that way."

Not quite sure what her mother is hinting at, Piper finally rolls onto her side so that her tear-stained face comes into view.

"If you're here to tell me that I shouldn't be with Alex, Mom, I don't need to hear it."

"That's not what I meant, Piper. I don't want you to feel like we don't care about you."

"You have a funny way of showing it then, Mom," Piper admits, tired of the facadçe she finds herself putting up in front of her family.

"I know your father and I have some more… conservative views, but we're trying, Piper. I think Alex is a wonderful woman, but it's only natural for me to worry about you and this situation."

"You think Alex is a wonderful woman?" Piper asks, frowning at her mother's comment.

"On the occasions I've spoken to her, it's obvious that she cares."

"Obviously not enough after talking to you the last time."

"I know this all looks bad, but this isn't what she had planned."

"What do you mean? What aren't you telling me?"

"I promised I wouldn't say."

"Mom - you've known this whole time?!"

"Piper Elizabeth Chapman - just be patient! I know Alex didn't mean to cancel on your birthday plans - it seems like she missed out the part when she told you about that."

"She told you about the birthday plans?" Piper asks hesitantly, confused as to why her mother was all of a sudden best friends with her girlfriend.

"Possibly," Carol smiles sincerely - something that added to Piper's shock. "It'll take some time to get used to, but if you're serious about this, we'll respect that."

"Thanks, Mom," Piper returns the smile, and in seeing her mother get up from the bed to leave the room, she feels the need to apologise. "I'm sorry for what I did earlier… I shouldn't have said some of those things."

"The truth can hurt sometimes," Carol replies, letting out a close-lipped smile as she turns and closes the door over.

The young blonde finds herself in a state of confusion, _how the fuck can someone forget to say that they're going off the grid for a few days?_.

Piper wakes up hours later with the light from her windows stirring her, _so much for staying awake_.

Even throughout her dreams, she was trying to find an explanation - an excuse - for her girlfriend, and as she sits up against her headboard trying to think of all the Alex-esque methods of communication, the blonde darts up from the bed, scalding herself for having not thought of checking her emails. Rushing over to her computer, she logs into her Gmail, only to see 14 email notifications highlighted in her spam folder - something she doesn't regularly check.

Most of the emails are promotions from companies or newsletters she signed up for to get a discount code, however, when she sees one sent two days ago from an unfamiliar email address, given the content of the message, she knows who it's from.

 _Subject: I'm an asshole_

 _Piper,_

 _I know you probably hate me right now, but I can explain everything when I see you next. The truth is that I currently have no signal and am locked in another summer property that I own… I know, I'm stupid._

 _I had this grand plan, but it seems as though fate had different one in store for me. I'm trying the best I can, but it seems as though my computer is the only thing working right now, considering the signal is fluctuating and so my phone isn't working - this is the next best thing I have._

 _I hope Nicky's explanation didn't freak you out - she's under the impression that this was a whole part of the surprise… I can guarantee it's not. She promised not to give anything away under my prior instruction, but that was before this happened - even though I didn't tell her the full extent of my plans._

 _I know I fucked up, but I guess we'll have to go with the fact that good things come to those who wait (hopefully in my case, some signal so that I can call someone to get me out of this fucking place)._

 _I hope I haven't ruined the excitement you had for your belated birthday bash._

 _Your favourite fuck up,_

 _Alex x_

Re-reading the email again, Piper lets out a relieved sigh, followed by a chuckle, _only Alex_ , she thinks, finding the image of her stressed out girlfriend locked in a house comical. Clicking the reply button, the blonde types out a response, feeling her state of emotional distress vanishing.

 _Subject: That, you are._

 _So you are alive… here I was thinking you'd had enough of me already._

 _I'm trying to understand what's going on at your end, Al, but the only real thing I got out of that is that your summer property has shitty locks as well as signal._

 _It's a relief hearing from you, and while I would love to help you out, I have no idea where you are or what I can even do to help. Care to tell me where you are?_

 _Your paranoid protagonist,_

 _Piper x_

Feeling a lot more content about the situation, Piper goes to find the rest of her family, ready to do some damage control. She sees her mother in the living room, and as she goes to enter, the doorbell - yet again - rings. Trying her best to speed walk back up the stairs and make someone else get it, the blonde hears her mother call her name, asking her to see who it is. Rolling her eyes and approaching the wooden barricade, Piper opens the door, displaying a toothy smile at what she sees.

"Package for Miss P. Chapman," the person voices, outstretching the small, brown parcel.


	20. Chapter 20

**I've just moved back to uni for the term, so I'm not too sure how frequently I'll be able to update this story over the next 3 months.**

 **I might start bringing this to a close - please give me your thoughts on that, so keep the reviews coming!**

 **Enjoy.**

* * *

"Alex?" Piper says, surprised that the older woman is at her door, holding out a parcel.

"Hey," the brunette replies, smiling back at her girlfriend. "Can I come in?" she asks sheepishly.

Not offering a verbal response, the blonde steps away from the door, opening it wider for Alex to walk through the door's threshold.

"Hello Alex," Carol says from where she's now appeared in the hallway.

"Mrs Chapman, hi. How are you?" the the brunette replies, giving a close-lipped smile to her girlfriend's mother.

"I'm good, thank you. And please, call me Carol," the older blonde comments, shifting on the spot. "How about yourself?"

"I've been better, Carol," Alex answers honestly, shifting her eyes to Piper and back to the older blonde, placing emphasis on her name.

"I guess I'll give you two some privacy," Carol smiles, walking back into the room she had just appeared from.

"This is for you," Alex says, holding her hand out again.

"Thanks," Piper replies, taking the package. "Shall we take this upstairs?" she goes on to ask, and in seeing Alex raising her eyebrows, she adds, "to talk. We need to do that, Alex."

"I know," the brunette agrees, lowering her head as she follows her girlfriend up the stairs.

"So are you gonna start this or am I?" Piper says, sitting in her office chair as Alex occupies the space at the lip of the bed.

"I'm sorry," Alex voices, choosing to dive straight in with the subject at hand. "I wanted to make things special for you, and after talking to your mom, I had a better idea than what I originally had planned."

"What did my mom say?" Piper asks, finally announcing what had been burning on her tongue since she found out her mother had answered her girlfriend's call.

"At first when she answered your phone, I shat myself," Alex reveals, chuckling at the memory. "She started saying things about how there would be problems if she found out I was taking advantage of you and then I hung up. I thought about trying to get myself a lawyer because I thought she was threatening me… you know reporting me for being with you, but then I got a call from an unknown number and it was her."

"My Mom has your phone number?" Piper asks, voice raising in question.

"Yeah - she must have taken it from your phone when I called. We spoke for a while - well, more like her quizzing me on what's been going on between us - and then she kept going on about hearing what happened in the bathroom to which, at that point, I was just as fucking confused as she was. I thought she was going to warn me off, but then she started to ask me about you and what you're like, which I found weird to begin with," Alex admits, laughing at the look of shock covering her girlfriend's face, "but then she… I don't know, seemed interested in what I was saying, almost as though taking notes in her head. Then I was telling her about what I had planned for your birthday and then she gave me some useful ideas about what you like."

"She did?" Piper asks, surprised that her mother has trying to be helpful.

"Yeah," the brunette smiles, before continuing. "And then I made an addition to my original plan, so when the call ended, I got into my car and went to grab and set up some stuff."

"Then how did you end up going MIA?"

"I'm getting there," Alex smiles, momentarily amused by her girlfriend's insistence. "I headed to one of the properties I own - well, technically my Mom owns it - because I thought I could take you there instead of the one from before. I was gonna grab part of your present and drive back to pack my bags and pick you up, but then my dumbass managed to lock myself inside and the weather was pretty crappy, so my signal wasn't working. I tried to get in contact with you, but that wasn't happening, and when I eventually managed to get a hold of Nicky, I don't think she could hear me properly and I'm assuming that when I sent her to talk to you, she didn't understand what was really happening on my end," the brunette explains, running a hand through her hair. "She promised not to tell you why I was where I was, but she sounded like she wasn't really listening to what I was saying anyway."

"How did you get out?"

"Well, I had to take some precautions and break a window using a brick that I found in the basement."

"No you didn't," Piper lets out a heavy breath through her nose, laughing at the image.

"Seriously - I did! I mean, I could have done that to begin with, but I thought if I waited for the storm to finish and for the signal to return, I could call my Mom to come with the spare keys."

"You don't keep a spare set of keys in the house?"

"Well, I do, but I was stuck on the inside, dumbass," Alex laughs, letting out a deep breath. "And then I forgot I had a kind of on-going puzzle prepared to keep you on your toes, but because I wasn't there, most of the stages were missing, and I'm guessing that threw you off," the brunette adds, nodding her head towards the book she had sent, whereby she had written a cryptic message onto the front page. "I'd planned for it to be sent a few days after your birthday, which, had I been there, would have made sense and not come across as a weird form of correspondence."

"Fuck, Alex," Piper breathes out, putting her head in her hands, elbows resting on her thighs. "That really fucked with my head," she chuckles, rubbing her temple with her index fingers.

"I can imagine. I'm so sorry, Piper."

Removing her hands from her face, the blonde looks up at the older woman, offering a sincere close-lipped smile.

"What happened to the window?"

"Oh, I called in someone to fix it."

"So you called a window fixer but not me?" Piper asks, raising her eyebrows.

"Come on, Pipes-" the brunette comments, almost as though seeking sympathy for fucking up to the extent in which she did.

"I'm kidding. Well, mostly," the blonde shifts her head side to side, contemplating her next move.

Getting up from her office chair - making sure to push it in, Piper walks over to her blinds, pulling the rope to close them over, followed by shutting the curtains. She turns to face the older woman who, she notes, seems worried - something Piper guesses is down to how little she reacted to the brunette's explanation.

"What's wrong?" the blonde asks.

"Why are you being so forgiving?"

"I can't really stay mad at you for something you didn't mean to do, Alex… well, not in this context anyway."

"Really? You're still not a little bit mad?" the brunette probes, knowing what kind of thought processing her girlfriend must be going through at this current moment in time.

"Maybe a little bit," Piper admits, grinning as she looks down at the floor, "but I'll get over it," she adds, moving to sit down next to the older woman who hasn't moved from her position on the front edge of the bed, placing a hand on her knee as she does so.

"Would you still like your birthday present?" Alex asks, placing her hand on top of the one already on her knee.

"Is that really a question you need to ask?"

Pleased that there is no longer any tension between them, Alex smiles as she removes her hand from the blonde's, pushing her feet against the floor to stand up.

"But it'll have to wait until later," Piper voices, grabbing the brunette's arm, preventing her from rising, as she places her free hand on her girlfriend's jaw, pulling her into a kiss.

What originally began as an innocent lip-lock soon transpired to more passionate means, whereby Piper was straddling the older woman while they both pant into each other's mouths.

"Pipes – you parents could come in," Alex voices roughly, tilting her head back as a set of lips attach to her neck.

"They won't," Piper replies, not removing her mouth from her girlfriend's throat.

"Piper," the brunette says in warning.

"Alex?" the blonde pulls away from the warm body, acting annoyed.

"Are you sure? The door isn't even locked."

"I'm sure, Al," Piper says, pushing back on the older woman's shoulders so that she's now lying on her back. "Stay here."

Alex closes her eyes over, not used to her girlfriend acting so dominant, and in feeling the zipper of her jeans being pulled down, followed by a hand entering the opened space, she groans, unbelievably turned on courtesy of the blonde positioned on top of her.

* * *

"God, Pipes," Alex pants from where she's positioned under her girlfriend, who is – like herself – naked, skin sweaty from their recent activities.

"Shut up," Piper voices through clenched teeth, trying her best to not be loud in expressing her pleasure.

"It's kind of hard when you're doing that," Alex whisper-shouts, looking down to where she can see their joined hips, the blonde doing all the work on top.

"Want me to stop?" Piper flirts, slowing down the speed of her hips, leaving them both craving more.

"No, don't," Alex pants out, moving her hands down from the blonde's hips to her ass, pushing their bodies closer together to emphasise her point.

"Then do what I tell you to," the younger woman directs, smashing their lips together while she picks up the pace of her hips, moaning into the kiss at the feel of their wet centres moving against each other.

The pair – in their attempt to somewhat disclose what they were doing, had the duvet pulled up to their shoulders, yet, as their movements grew in correlation with their increasingly frantic movements, the garment began to fall from their bodies, whereby it is now bunched at the blonde's hips.

"Fuck, Alex," Piper moans into her girlfriend's ear, breath making the area hot with moisture, "I'm gonna come."

"Keep going," the brunette replies, and in their lost haze, neither woman hears the sound of footsteps along the corridor, or the subsequent knocking on the door.

"Piper?" a feminine voice comes from the hallway.

Alex – in hearing the voice from behind the door – is thrown off the course of her appending orgasm; quickly trying to push her girlfriend off her body - and feeling the blonde not budging, she pulls at her hair with one hand, tugging her backwards, while pushing down on her shoulder with the other hand, guiding the blonde under the duvet roughly without voicing her reason behind doing so.

Piper – lost in the search for her release, doesn't hear the voice of her mother on the other side of the door, and in feeling her girlfriend's flailing arms, she assumes Alex is tipping over her peak. Yet in being roughly pulled by her hair and pushed downwards, Piper assumes the woman below her wants the job finished with her mouth – something she is more than happy to abide by.

Settling between long, smooth legs, Piper runs her tongue through Alex's centre, feeling her abdominal region constrict tightly at both the badly suppressed moan her girlfriend gave out as well as the familiar taste filling her taste buds. However, the feeling in her stomach soon turns to confusion when she feels Alex's legs tightening around her head and a lone right hand reach down to run through her hair, once again pulling at the tresses, causing her mouth to detach from the brunette's wet centre.

The confusion in the blonde's stomach soon drops completely; worry becomes the over-riding sensation coursing through her body as she hears the unmistakable sound of her mother's voice.

"Oh, Alex - sorry, I was just looking for Piper."

"That's fine," Alex says, sounding somewhat calm. "She's washing her face in the bathroom," she adds, to which Piper thanks the gods above for having shut her bathroom door the last time she walked out of her en-suite.

"I'll come back later then," Carol says, seeming to believe the brunette.

"Do you want me to pass on a message?" the brunette asks, trying not to sound as though the feel of Piper's warm breathing on her centre is affecting her.

"No! It's fine," the older blonde responds, sounding as though she doesn't want to bother the woman lying in her daughter's bed. "I can just tell her later; it's not urgent."

"Alrighty then," Alex says, trying to not to express how cringed out she is over her response. "Carol –" the brunette voices, to which her girlfriend's mother turns around, eyes slightly widening in question. "Thank you," Alex sincerely adds, both women knowing what she's referring to.

"You don't need to thank me, Alex. You're good for my daughter, so you have my approval," she replies through a smile, before turning and leaving the room; the sound of footsteps travelling back down the hall fill the room.

Loosening her grip in Piper's hair, Alex runs her hands back up her body, pulling the duvet down from where she had it pulled up to her neck.

"Sorry about that," she says, looking down at the sight of the messy blonde hair belonging to her girlfriend.

"That was a close one," Piper breathes out, placing her head on Alex's thigh. "But you don't have to apologise, Al. I didn't even hear her coming."

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" the brunette goes on to ask, referring to Piper's new questionable look.

"I was surprised to begin with, but I actually enjoyed it," the younger woman admits, blushing as she does so. "I wouldn't mind doing it again sometime when we're alone and there's actually no chance that someone could walk in on us."

"You've got it," Alex smiles, not wanting to tease her timid-looking girlfriend, which soon changes into the formation of an o shape as Piper reattaches her tongue to her core. The older woman knows she isn't going to last long, and in seeing the blonde place a hand between her own legs, Alex feels a new gush of wetness leave her centre, to which a moan vibrates throughout her body – a sign that the blonde between her legs appreciated the new flood of pleasure hitting her chin.

* * *

"Do you want to open the package now?" Alex asks, breaking the silence the pair were comfortably surrounded by as they lie next to one another in bed, Piper's body turned into and hooked onto the side of her own, arm wrapped around her stomach.

"Mmm – yeah I forgot about that," the blonde replies, clearly in a daze from their previous uninterrupted rounds of sex.

Leaning to the side, Alex hands her girlfriend the parcel she had delivered earlier, eager to see her reaction when its opened.

"I wonder what this could be?" Piper says sarcastically while sitting up, knowing from the shape and feel that it's a book.

The book, Piper identifies, is one of her favourites: _Little Women_ , and as she brushes her fingers along the pristine cover, she smiles while opening the first page, awaiting a written message. The all so familiar handwriting that she has grown to love is once again present, this time written more carefully on the page.

 _Piper – here's something special for you to keep a hold of, and a reminder of how special you are to me._

 _I love you._

 _Alex._

Piper re-reads the message as she had done with any other set of writing given to her from Alex, and in finally knowing the brunette feels the same way as she does, she lets out an emotional sigh of relief, feeling as though a large weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

"You do?" she asks, putting the book down on her lap as she looks at her girlfriend.

"Yeah. I've been meaning to tell you that I love you for a while now, Pipes."

"So have I," Piper smiles, leaning closer. "I love you too, Alex" she reveals, before connecting their lips, both mirroring the same smile.

"Phew," Alex huffs, wiping her brow with the back of her hand. "That could have been awkward."

"Why?" Piper laughs.

"Because that book is a first edition," the older woman reveals, looking down at the item resting on Piper's lap.

"Alex – you didn't have to. These cost a fortune!" the blonde replies, eyebrows raised in shock.

"Don't you worry about that. Seriously," Alex reassures having seen her girlfriend giving her the ' _really?_ ' face. "I own a few, and I know that one's your favourite."

"How did you know that?"

"I may have had some inside information," Alex winks, to which Piper finally understands what information her mother had shared with her girlfriend.

"Thank you, Al. I love it," Piper says, delivering another peck to the brunette's lips. "And I love you."

"I love you too, Pipes," Alex smiles, satisfied with how everything was finally working out in their favour.

* * *

 **Shoutout to the reader who commented on the book I'd chosen for Alex to write her message in!**

 **In all honesty, I looked up the book too - can't say I own a copy, but it did seem like an interesting read, didn't it? So to answer that form of query, there was no reason behind choosing that book - I just picked a random one that seemed appropriate... professional research, I know.**


	21. Chapter 21

**I haven't forgotten about this story - let's just say my motivation has been wavering as of recent...**

 **Writer's block isn't helping me right now, so any suggestions as to what you'd like to see next are welcomed!**

 **Let me know what you think.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _3 years later_

' _I'm 10 minutes away_ ' appears on Piper's phone, causing her to smile at the handheld device. Grabbing her keys, she runs out the door, embarking on the short walk to the train station.

Standing just inside the entrance, the blonde waits anxiously for the arrival of her girlfriend, excited for the weekend they'll be sharing together, and when she sees the form of the tall brunette coming down the staircase, she - not so patiently - runs over and leaps into her arms, burying her head in the older woman's neck.

"Hey, kid," Alex says through a chuckle, having dropped her bag onto the floor and wrapped her arms around the woman in her arms.

"Hey," Piper replies, pulling away from the older woman's neck to connect their lips. "How was your journey?" she asks, detaching herself so that she can put her feet back onto the ground.

"Surprisingly quick," the brunette answers, leaning down to pick up her bag and then grab her girlfriend's hand. "You ready for this weekend?"

"Kinda scared," the blonde admits, swinging their hands, "but I'm happy you're here."

"I'm happy to be here."

The pair walk out of the station and head towards the blonde's home where she's currently living with 4 other female housemates.

"Is anyone else in?" Alex asks while Piper uses her keys to unlock the front door.

"I think Ashley might be here," the blonde replies, stepping inside and widening the door to allow the brunette to enter the household. "Hello?" Piper voices opening, attempting to see who's home.

"In here," a feminine voice comes from the living room, an indication that the blonde was correct about not being alone.

"Ash you remember Alex, don't you?" Piper asks as she brings her girlfriend into the living room, hands intertwined.

The young girl lying down on the sofa with tied up brown hair turns her head to look towards the door, smiling at the pair.

"Of course I do," the blonde's friend replies, lowering her tone of voice while looking at the older woman.

Piper watches her housemate eyeing her girlfriend and clenches her jaw at the look on her face. Her jealousy regarding her friend's obvious crush on Alex was something that had causes a riff between the couple on several occasions, but given the older woman's insistent attempts at reassuring the younger woman, the blonde felt more comfortable, especially given the fact that the tall brunette only had eyes for her.

"How've you been, Alex," she goes on to ask, rolling onto her back slightly so that her t-shirt rides up slightly.

"Good thanks. Yourself?"

"I'm great," Ashley replies, eyeing the taller woman. "Want me to grab that?" she adds, looking at the bag resting at Alex's feet.

"It's alright. I've got it," the brunette dismisses, turning to face the blonde while squeezing her hand. "Is it alright if I go put this upstairs?"

"Yeah, I have something to show you anyway," Piper replies while waving a goodbye to her housemate.

"I liked seeing jealous Piper back there," Alex voices as they ascend the staircase and enter the blonde's room.

"I was not jealous."

"Mmhmm," the brunette mumbles, putting her bag down and wrapping her arms around the blonde from behind. "You know I'm only here for you, Pipes."

"I know," Piper replies, turning in her girlfriend's arms.

"When're your parents coming?"

"This evening, but they're staying in a hotel," the blonde says, lifting an eyebrow while pushing the older woman down onto the bed.

"Got anything planned for the day?" Alex asks, running her hands along Piper's back, fingers slipping underneath her t-shirt.

"Well it's been 2 months since I've last seen you, so I don't think we'll be leaving this room for a while," the blonde replies, grounding her hips down onto the older woman's.

"Is that so? Well I guess it's a good thing I hadn't planned any surprises for you," Alex adds, fiddling with the button on the blonde's jeans now that she had sat up.

"I have something that you can do though," Piper says, lifting her hips so that she can pull her jeans down before grabbing Alex's hand and placing it inside the waistband of her underwear.

"I like your thinking there," Alex responds, smirking at the feel of the wetness coming from her girlfriend's centre.

"I'm a great thinker… fuck, Al," Piper tries to play along yet gives in to the feeling of Alex's fingers - something she had missed out on throughout the last 2 months they had been apart and definitely intended on making up for lost time throughout her graduation weekend.

* * *

Sitting on a row of chairs, Alex smiles as she watches her girlfriend collect her diploma. It has been a long 3 years in which the blonde was in college; they had been through a rocky road in which the brink of their relationship had been tested on occasion. They'd managed to make it work, and although a lot of the time they were separated, their status as girlfriends had grown to the extent in which both women were it in for the long run. They travelled to see each other whenever they had the time, and throughout the blonde's last summer break, the pair took a week long trip to Italy.

The line of seats to Alex's left are occupied by Piper's parents and brothers, and although the dynamic in which Piper and herself had initially met caused a form of tension between the older woman and her girlfriend's parents, over the years, their relationship too had improved.

Following the movement of the blonde, Alex's vision catches the blue orbs of her girlfriend, in which the pair share toothy smiles towards one another. Throughout the ceremony, the brunette finds it hard to keep her eyes focused on the front when she's so easily distracted by the beauty that her favourite blonde radiates.

By the time the ceremony finishes, the pair - along with Piper's family - take some pictures together - ones in which they'll add to their ever growing collection of memories.

"I'm proud of you, kid," Alex comments as the pair walk hand in hand from the restaurant they had just eaten at as insisted by the blonde's father.

"Thanks, Al," Piper smiles, squeezing her girlfriend's hand. "Did you ever think we'd get here?"

"What do you mean?"

"Here. You. Me. Us."

"I'd hoped but I wasn't sure how we'd cope with the distance or with the fact that you'd be meeting so many new people at college… younger people."

"Are you worried I think you're too old? You're only 4 years older than me, Alex."

"Yeah, but I'm still _old_ compared to you."

"So that's why you had to stop after round one this morning. Maybe you are getting too old, Vause."

"Shut up," the brunette says, bumping into her girlfriend's shoulder. "And what can I say? You tired me out."

"Now that's a sentence I've never expected to hear."

"Yeah, well don't get used to it," Alex adds, grabbing the blonde's ass as they turn from the pavement to the blonde's house.

* * *

"So have you thought anymore about your job?" Piper asks from where they're both lying naked on their backs, covers pulled up to their chests.

"A little bit."

"And…?"

"I think I'll stay for another year. Then it'll mean we can be in the same area before I get too sick of it."

"You shouldn't keep doing a job if it's making you unhappy."

"It's not making me unhappy per se, I just don't like the stress it brings. I mean, other than when I come to see you, I never have any time for myself."

"We'll make sure that's a priority then this year, Miss Vause," Piper flirts, tilting her head up from where she's positioned to smile at the older woman.

"I guess we should," Alex agrees, smiling as her girlfriend starts to move in her arms so that she's now straddling her body.

"I hope you still aren't tired," the blonde says, having leant down to whisper into the brunette's ear.

"No, I'm good," the older woman replies, placing her hands firmly on Piper's hips.

"So then you won't be opposed to using this then," the blonde counters, leaning over the side of the bed slightly to pick up an item lying in a box.

"No," Alex says, eyeing the item. "No I wouldn't."

"I have to pee, so I'll leave you to do your thing. I'll be quick." the blonde whispers one last time before handing the strap on over to her girlfriend and getting off the bed to head towards the bathroom.

Alex - somewhat flustered by what her girlfriend had just suggested - bites down on her lower lip and shakes her head slowly, amazed that even after all this time together, Piper still manages to keep her on her toes in the very best ways possible.


	22. Chapter 22

**Long overdue, but here it is: the final chapter.**

 **There's a 6 year time jump between this chapter and the last one, so hopefully that's clear.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Distance, arguments, reunions, elation - a glimpse into the shadow of the events having occurred over the next 6 years.

As planned, Alex had completed one remaining year at Litchfield High as an English teacher while, in a spur of the moment decision, Piper went on to complete her Master's degree in Literature. The decision meant the couple carried out another spell of separation, but when the year was up, Piper moved back into the city where - with the persuasion of her girlfriend - she applied to study further for a PhD in Literature. Despite her initial worries about being able to juggle such a demanding level of study, the blonde was accepted into the programme which not only provided her with a working wage, but with an _extremely impressive_ addition to her résumé. She went on to take up a role in research, and while her doctorate status gave her a real sense of accomplishment, her girlfriend often liked to remind her of possible alternatives, instead joking about the merits of being called 'Dr Chapman' whenever she deemed appropriate. And while it soon became a form of inside joke between the pair, the blonde too chose to take advantage of having such a vocative to her name, especially when it came to making things - if possible - more exciting in the bedroom. However, in her current professional world, the blonde works with local universities to deliver lectures on particular topics and genres that her form of research specialises in.

Piper's relationship with her parents seemed to vastly improve over the years; her decision to develop her English-orientated career finally seemed to convince Carol that that wasn't going to be changing anytime soon - the couple were even often invited on breaks away with the blonde's parents. By the time they hit their 4 year anniversary mark, Alex was accepted into the family to the extent in which Piper often joked about her parents taking a liking to her girlfriend more than herself.

Since finishing her teaching career at Litchfield High, Alex moved into working with the formation of curriculums and educational development. Although she had planned on leaving and never turning back, 2 years into more of an office-based job, the persuasion of an impressively increased wage and remaining local managed to sway the older woman to return to Litchfield High - this time in a senior leadership role where she could still teach after-school classes to offer students help if it was needed. After proving herself as an important asset in the workplace, the brunette worked her way up through the ranks, finally securing herself the role as Assistant Head Teacher - one of which she still happily obtains.

Although the brunette at times found herself wondering if going back to teaching full-time was a wise thing to do, along with advice from Piper and her mother, she decided to continue only doing so sporadically if she were needed, not wanting the stresses of running several classrooms filled with 30 plus adolescents to affect her stress levels as they had throughout the years prior.

The couple's relationship seemed to be stronger than ever: they moved into an apartment together once Piper had graduated with her Masters degree, and on their anniversary - 4 years after having left college at an undergraduate level - the blonde aged 26 and the brunette aged 30, Piper got down on one knee and proposed to her long-term girlfriend through a flood of tears, whereby this - along with Alex's emotional acceptance - all but confirmed the fact that both both women were in it for the long run.

So now as they're surrounded by all of the people who they value in their lives, Piper and Alex can finally admit that they'd made it. Despite all the odds and the location in which their forbidden relationship had flourished from, over time they had proved to one another that nothing had changed, and although they had combatted a number of obstacles along the way, there was nowhere else they'd each rather be.

* * *

Alex - from where she's standing - is zoned out.

Although she knows she should be listening to whatever it is that is going on in the group conversation around her, she can't help it. How can she when the position in which she's standing gives her a perfect view? She does, however, attempt to train her subconscious as she fights hard to prevent a spontaneous smile from creeping along her lips while she watches Piper from across the room.

The blonde is wearing a beautiful white dress covered with lace that compliments her newly cut bob-length wavy hair. She's talking animatedly to her uncle and aunt - ones of which she barely gets to see considering they no longer live in America, and the brunette finds herself transfixed as she watches Piper's head tilt to the side while her pristine white teeth make an appearance for what must be over the hundredth time this day alone.

The brunette further observes the way in which the younger woman is talking so expressively; her shoulders move forwards and backwards along with the animated manoeuvres her arms are carrying out, and its in this moment Alex's eyes become hypnotised by the blonde's hand that is in sight.

From where Piper is standing sideways, Alex is given the perfect view of the shimmering object that now inhabits the blonde's ring finger - one in which the older woman had spent hours searching for, wanting it to be not only a perfect fit, but a perfect design. Deep down inside the brunette knew Piper would love anything she had picked out for her, but in knowing how special the sentiment of marriage was - and definitely still is - to her now wife, the process is one she carried out with care.

Although Piper was the one to propose using the ring that the brunette has now been wearing for the past two years, Alex had insisted on getting her partner her own ring to wear; despite the blonde's initial protests, she caved in. Whether or not she would admit it, the brunette knew wearing an engagement ring was something Piper had always wanted, and when she herself presented her fiancée with her own ring to wear, Alex knew she had made the right decision just based alone on the sight of the dimples that seemed to have been permanently presenting themselves on blonde's cheeks.

Using the thumb on her own left hand, the brunette brushes along the surface of the latest addition to her own ring finger, establishing what she has quickly identified as a new habit. The reality of the events of the past day is yet to sink in, and in hearing loud laughter ring out from the group of people she is standing - and meant to be conversing - with, Alex snaps back into reality, smiling at the image of her friends laughing at - what she can only assume was - an entertaining story.

* * *

Piper - in a similar manner - hasn't been able to take her eyes off her wife throughout their entire wedding day let alone the reception. From the moment she had walked down the aisle, led by her father, the image of Alex in her white jumpsuit with her black glasses and long hair - although mostly through her poorly focused teary eyes - is one she knows she is never going to be able to forget. The blonde had found this feeling to have stemmed throughout the course of the day, whether that being noticing the brunette - not so subtly - watching her from afar, or during their first dance.

Picking a song to dance to was something that had driven the blonde insane. Alex was insisting upon the blonde picking, and when - after the few glasses of wine she had consumed one evening in which was supposed to be a 'quiet night in' - Piper produced a rather emotional display regarding the importance of the both of them choosing together, Alex knew better than to argue any further on the topic.

They'd finally decided on a song in which they were both familiar with - an acoustic version of Keane's _Somewhere Only We Know_ , and although Piper had initially found the thought of carrying out their first dance intimidating, when the time came, all worries dissipated.

With one hand linked with Alex's and the other resting on her shoulder, the blonde - as cheesy as it probably looked - found herself lost in the brunette's green eyes. All thoughts of the people surrounding and watching them left her mind, as what really mattered to her - what would always be one of the few things that _genuinely_ mattered to her - was right in front of her eyes.

Yes, she used to doubt herself and questioned the merits - and even the ethics - regarding the ways in which herself and Alex's relationship had began - especially whenever the typical 'how did you meet?' question was asked, but over the years, none of that seemed to matter. Nothing else seemed to matter other than the fact that they were both _sinfully happy_ together, and the blonde continued to relay her internal happiness in more external means way on past their first dance up until the evening's set of speeches.

Never in her life had she exercised her tear ducts out of the feeling of utter happiness, and from where she's currently seated next to her wife in the middle of a long table that is situated in a sideways fashion, putting them at the forefront compared to their guests who are sitting on surrounding circular tables, Piper tries her best to focus.

From having to listen to the words of her Father, Alex's mother - her now mother-in-law, Polly, and Nicky, the atmosphere seems somewhat overwhelming. Words spoken elicited both tears and laughter from all parties, and when Alex herself steps up to deliver a few words she had - unknowingly to the blonde - prepared, Piper found herself in a state where anything other than focusing on her wife was impossible.

She watches Alex express her thanks in a passionate manner with her usual charming flair that balances both along the lines of sincerity and humour, and no matter how many times she told herself she wasn't going to cry, Piper's waterworks slowly begin to trickle down her cheeks the moment Alex addresses her name while turning her head to the left to make eye contact from where she was standing to Piper's right.

The blonde identifies a shimmering watery lining covering Alex's own green eyes, and throughout the entirety of watching her wife speak, Piper smiles to herself at the fact that the older woman keeps switching her eyes between the paper she's holding in her hands and the audience of guests, knowing that if they were to continue their stare-off, Alex would be unable to continue speaking as coherently as she is currently managing.

Hearing the brunette speak is something the blonde could do forever. Something she _wants_ to do forever, and in hearing Alex's perfectly synthesised rendition of her love and thanks, Piper knows that this is exactly where she wants to be - who it is she wants to be with, and when Alex finally sits down - the room erupting into a flurry of applause as she does so, the younger woman leans over and places her hands onto her wife's cheeks, pulling her into a loving kiss, knowing that no matter how hard she tried, no words could possibly explain how she is currently feeling.

Pulling away while smiling, Piper feels Alex reach a hand under the table to connect their hands. She looks down and assesses the shining gold ring encircled around the brunette's ring finger, again letting off a grin. Moving her head back up so that blue eyes once again meet green, Piper feels Alex squeeze her hand.

All of those years ago, Alex had prompted the younger blonde to read between the lines with the question: ' _What is this really trying to tell you?_ ', and if the blonde were to apply that very question to this moment as their hands sink into one another, she wouldn't even have to second guess her answer; there are no possible lines to read between. Unlike the answer to the question their very first encounter had arisen, in this moment Piper knows exactly what is being silently voiced, because in the act that can only be interpreted as a loving one, the blonde feels irrevocably happy, and in knowing that Alex too feels the same exact same way, Piper is filled with a potent sense of sheer completion.

* * *

 **So that brings this story to an end!**

 **It's been fun to write considering I know this topic isn't everyone's cup of tea - some of us prefer coffee (myself included, but that defeats the purpose of this analogy).**

 **I feel like I've left this story in the right place, and so I don't see a necessary purpose in making a sequel.**

 **Thanks for all the kind comments - I hope you enjoyed reading the story as much as I did writing it.**

 **Until the next time.**


End file.
